


Flesh Without Blood

by PoeticAnt44



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Abuse, Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Police, Alternate Universe - Skyrim Fusion, Darklight Tower, Drug Use, Drunkenness, Elder Scrolls Lore, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, Eye of Magnus, F/M, Falling In Love, Hallucinogens, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inspired by Skyrim, Love, Mages, Magic, Murder, Necromancy, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, POV Original Character, Police, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psijic Order, Rape/Non-con Elements, Realm Hopping, Romance, Smut, Soul Gems, Staff of Magnus, Suicidal Thoughts, Time Travel, Witches, murder investigation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-18
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:01:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 42
Words: 134,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22299760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoeticAnt44/pseuds/PoeticAnt44
Summary: Illia from Darklight Tower Coven in The Rift, after killing her own mother for Necromancy, decides to make it her mission to hunt down and stop Necromancers.  She discovers there is a Necromancer who has stolen the Eye of Magnus, Staff of Magnus and an Elder Scroll to travel to another realm and another time in order to soul harvest to discover immortality.  With the help of Vilkas of The Companions, who has a personal beef with Necromancers, they travel through time and space to hunt down this evil Necromancer.  They soon discover a world that is beyond their understanding and find help from the last people they would expect.  All four, together, seek this evil all the while Illia and Vilkas struggle in this new and modern world.
Relationships: Illia (Elder Scrolls)/Original Male Character, Vilkas (Elder Scrolls)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 380
Kudos: 174





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> First, thanks for taking the time to read this story. Is it bad that I write and play so much I dream of stories? Well, that's what happened to me on this one lol. 
> 
> I worked especially hard on this one, trying to create something a bit different. There are three OC's in this and several POVs. I hope I wrote it well enough that you don't find it confusing. If so, please let me know.
> 
> The only thing cannon in this is Illia's story, though it's without the Dragonborn, though I'm halfway through writing, that may change. This story will also go back and forth from Skyrim to Earth. I tried to make it clear the time and place. 
> 
> And, yes, there are two...two romances at once. Yes, I went there and I won't apologize for it LOL! It wasn't supposed to turn out that way, but sometimes my fingers have a mind of their own and don't always like to listen to my brain.
> 
> Please note that there are parts that can get fairly graphic regarding the violence, so just be aware. 
> 
> I would like to give a special thank you to Vokunkendov who took the time to read this and make sure everything works and flows well. She guided me, gave me ideas and advice. I appreciate her help so very much!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a new killer in town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and I appreciate any comments and kudos. It's what has kept me writing and striving to be better at it! It means the world!! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 9th, 2018_

It was one of those days where work had been a special kind of hell. Those fucking bitches were always trying to get her fired lately, and for what? Working her ass off? It wasn’t her fault she worked hard, and they were lazy. It wasn’t her fault her boss noticed and promoted her, but they resented her for it regardless. They accused her of sleeping with the boss to get ahead or sucking him off—whatever the latest gossip was. 

_How could I sleep with that disgusting pig? Even if he were young and attractive, I still wouldn’t do such a thing! Her body shuddered at the very thought._

She sighed in frustration as she put on her running shorts, her favorite Nirvana t-shirt, and running shoes. She needed a long run. A good jog always calmed her down from the stresses of the day. _These damn Washingtonians! They backstab you faster than they can blink! Assholes...the lot of them!_

She was angry, missing her parents and sisters back in her small town in Texas. It was so much quieter and laid back than the constant moving of D.C. Everyone here lived perpetually on edge. 

_I couldn’t get stuck in a small town with no growth and nothing to do either._

Strapping her phone to her bicep, she headed out of her apartment on 34th St. It was a short walk under Key Bridge to the trails. She could already feel the sweat from the balmy and humid air. Washington, DC, was always stuffy, no matter the season. In the Summers, you were guaranteed to sweat even if it was 70 degrees, and, in the Winters, the cold penetrated deeply into the bones from the moisture. But she was ready for a good sweat—she needed it. 

She tied up her long chestnut brown hair into a high ponytail on the top of her head to keep it out of her face and plugged in her earbuds. Usually, she would listen to smoother music when she was stressed, but tonight called for some heavier rock. She scrolled through some of her songs on her phone from the 1990s and pick out some old grunge rock.

_I really need something to pound in my ears and get my blood flowing...to get the anger out._

Letting the pounding of the drums and shrill of the guitar pump her up, she stretched out her limbs and started her jog on the C&O Canal Towpath. Living in Georgetown was expensive and she could barely afford furniture, but it was worth it being surrounded by everything she needed within walking distance; she didn’t even need a car. 

As she jogged, she tried to push away the stresses and worries from earlier in the day. This was a time to think about the happy thoughts and feel the pleasant burn in her legs as she ran and pushed aside the steady pressure in her lungs; the stress from the day already draining away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The evening was dark, and he could not see much, but the city was large enough to provide a constant dim light even when the moon was not out. Where he came from, the evenings were always pitch black, with cities few and far between, unless Masser and Secunda were shining down from the night sky. Concealed behind trees and shrubbery, he could see her running along the trail, quickly reaching him.

The women here were always so scantily clad, exposing their legs and chests, leaving nothing to the imagination, and she was no different. Her ponytail swishing back and forth like a horse swatting flies and her breasts bouncing up and down. 

The trails were virtually empty of people at this time of night— _just me and her_. He had come to this realm a couple of times already and decided the city of Washington, D.C., would be his home away from home. It would provide an endless source of power for him. 

_These people have long forgotten the immense power their realm still held_ , he scoffed in his mind. They forgot that humans used to hold magical powers, but no longer as they became either more religious or pandered to the more scientific notions—both of which did away with the belief that magic existed, still exists. 

He attempted to blend in wearing a pair of jeans, a Virginia is for Lovers T-shirt with a black jacket and his hooded scarf. He was drenched in sweat in the moist heat, but he did not want to be recognized should some else appear along the trails. The weather here was nothing like the weather he had ever experienced before, and it was taking some getting used to. He swatted a mosquito buzzing in his sweaty face as she came running closer to him and slinked back into the shadows—the hunter waiting for its prey. 

He had been observing the young woman for days now, finding the right time to catch her alone. Her aura was stronger than others—she was unique, and he desperately needed her. _Beautiful blues and purples hovering around her in perfect harmony, waiting for my grasp._

As she ran closer to him, he grasped the item in his pocket, the object felt strangely cold despite the temperature, to make sure he still carried it. Taking a quick look around the area once more, he needed to make sure there were no other signs of people. He had to be quick, but slow enough for it to work correctly. 

As she ran by, the palm of his hand illuminated to a bright green color as he pulled the Magicka from Earth’s untapped resources through his body. It took longer on Earth than it did on Nirn to cast a spell, but he adapted. Once the spell was ready, he cast it on the unsuspecting woman jogging, paralyzing her in place. He was pleased to know his paralytic spell worked perfectly on the human woman as she stood there mid-stride. He spent several days to perfect it on animals before he moved on to a human target.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The woman froze in place and couldn’t for the life of her figure out what happened and took her a moment to start panicking—that little prick in the back of the mind something was wrong before the brain registered how crazy it was. It was as if someone hit the pause button on her body while the rest of the world moved on. The only thing she could do was breathe and blink. She tried to move her limbs, but her body wouldn’t obey her brain’s insistence. She started to panic as she ticked off a list of possible causes, trying to rationalize the irrational, none of which made any sense. All her stresses and worries of the day were long gone as she had more significant problems. 

_Why can’t I move?! This is impossible! MOVE body! MOVE!_

Her eyes widened in fear when she saw a strange man come up from behind her, wearing some sort of cloak and a hood over his head, despite the heat, unable to see his face other than his mouth, which wore a malevolent smirk sprinkled with droplets of sweat. The body odor from sweat coming off of him was pungent. She knew instantly this man would not help her, the back of her mind nagging he may have been behind her being frozen, despite the impossibility.

_That’s not possible. No one can do that...freeze a person. There has to be another reasonable explanation._

As he drew near, her only thoughts were he was going to rape her, and she could do nothing about it. Little did she know it was far, far worse than anything she could have imagined. She tried to talk to him—to beg him to help her, but nothing came out of her mouth other than a quiet grunt. 

He found himself delicately touching her face, looking forward to seeing her fear and pain, pleased to see her tears as they left wet trails across her skin

She cringed to the touch of his soft fingers, softer than they had any right to be and closed her eyes as she urinated from the fear.

His smile went from a smirk to a scowl. “You are disgusting! Why do you humans always have to piss yourselves when you are afraid. Your lavish life-styles have left you all weak and pathetic...forgetting the old ways in your endeavors to be more comfortable,” he spat out in a soft and strange accent.

_Humans?_

His tone quickly softened to a whisper, which did nothing to still her fear. “I am sorry, my dear, but I need your lovely soul. It is powerful, and I have to have it. Do not worry your pretty little head as to why. Just be honored that you were one of my chosen ones.”

She started sobbing in fear and panic as the man’s hand produced a strange bright orange orb of light that filled the darkness in an eerie glow and felt her body being lifted off the ground and moved. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her fear clearly shown in her eyes. She tried to look around to see where he was taking her, but she was unable to move her head. 

He used his spell to carry her to the Alexandria Aqueducts, which was not too far, but secluded enough for him to work being tucked under the bridge and in darkness. As long as none of the vagrants stumbled upon him, but they could quickly be dispatched, and no one would miss them. He laid the woman down gently on the ground, the stone covered in some sort of haphazard art and glyphs that he could not read.

_Once she is dead, it will not matter if she is found or not. Only the process I have to keep quiet and secret._

She could feel tingling in her fingers and toes as she could feel whatever was holding her loosen. She forced her brain to force her limbs to obey— _move, move, move!_ Slowly, her legs and arms were able to move weakly, and she could slightly turn her head around. She looked around to see where the asshole was and saw him on his knees laying out tools of some sort that she had never seen before. 

_Quickly body! Move more! Maybe I can finally get out of this...roll my body into the river. I’d rather risk drowning at this point._

Hearing her move around, he slowly, but methodically walked over to her. “Tsk, tsk. No, my dear. You do not get to leave when your story is getting interesting.” Trailing a delicate touch with the back of his hand down her face, his other hand filled with a green light and placed his hand on her arm as she could feel it spread through her body, feeling her body stiffen once more. 

_No, please, someone, help me! She tried to scream, but no sound came._

The tears pooled heavily out of her eyes, blurring her vision, the wetness falling in her ears as she lay on her back.

He returned to her with a sharp instrument in one hand and what looked like a very dark crystal in the other. “Yes, my dear...keep crying. The more you cry and are afraid, the better it will be for me. I am sorry, but this is going to be painful.”

She still couldn’t see his face, but she could see the malevolent and sweaty smile and knew she was not going to live through this. She sobbed as she thought of her parents, her two sisters, friends, and all the things she will never get to do.

“If you have a God, I suggest you start praying…”

 _Please, please let me live...I will do anything!_ She pleaded in her head, hoping...willing he could hear her and stop whatever he was about to do. The only thing she could feel moving in her body was her heart pounding from fear.

The man sat on his knees and pulled out his sharp tool and lightly dragged it across her face as she wept and urinated herself again, her body unable to even tremble in fear due to the paralysis. She may have been frozen, but she knew she would be able to feel everything he did to her.

“Yes, more fear, my good, and tasty soul. Now for the pain, my dear,” he whispered and shoved the sharp instrument in her nose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Illia can't take it anymore when she finds out she is the one who has to find the next victim for her mother.


	2. Tower of Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years under the thumb of her mother and fear of leaving, Illia is forced to make a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and I appreciate any comments and kudos. It's what has kept me writing and striving to be better at it! It means the world!! <3
> 
> Thank you Paraparadigm for your wonderful editing advice!

_Skyrim - The Rift - Tirdas, Rain’s Hand 4E 200_

Darklight Tower was an old crumbling ruin with a tower so tall, it almost served no purpose as it leaned into the cliffside. Illia was in her cot, combing out her long black hair, getting ready to sleep. She was tired of living in this cold, foul-smelling, and decrepit ruin among these crazy witches—tired of all of it. She would watch while innocent people were sacrificed so the witches could either prolong their lives or become a shell of what they once were for more power. Yet she did nothing from fear, the guilt gnawing away at her. 

It was all Illia had known, but she was nothing like her mother who didn’t even love her, only caring about more power. Illia assumed she was more like the father she had never met, wondering how could such a man have loved her mother once. Or maybe her mother was taken by him and raped. Illia would never know. 

Her guilt ran deep with all death and sacrifices for the greed of power. She was disgusted by it but felt helpless to do anything. She would curl up most evenings in her cot and silently weep for the lost souls that had been lost. She couldn’t let anyone hear her, though, as she was surrounded by other witches sleeping next to her in their own cots.

She knew it would be her turn one day. Her turn to find an innocent to sacrifice and kill in order to become one of them—vile hagravens. The hagravens weren’t even a person anymore. They were some combination of their race and a raven. They were twisted, dark, and evil creatures. If she did not do everything she was told, she knew the other witches and hagravens would kill her, even her own mother.

Illia had spent her life hiding that fear, trying to maintain the illusion to others that she was one of them. It was an exhaustive endeavor to pretend to be something she was not.

_I don’t know how much more I can take. I’m going to have to do something soon before I’m next._

“Hey, Illia…” Patrice, another apprentice, whispered in her ear. Her frizzy and curly red hair almost covered her gray, excited eyes.

“What,” she responded, not caring what Patrice had to say.

“Oh, we are going to have some fun tomorrow. We get to find ourselves the next sacrifice. But, don’t tell anyone I told you. It’s a secret. We are moving up in the world!”

Illia didn’t say anything, wondering how Patrice gained such knowledge— _probably eavesdropping_. She gave Patrice a small smile, to hide her disgust, and she rolled back over to try and get some sleep, holding back nausea. If what Patrice told her was true, it would mean Illia would have to find an innocent to be put to death. She had seen horrible things but had yet to be told she would be directly involved. 

_No, I can’t do this! I cannot be directly responsible for the death of an innocent_. She knew she was complicit to the actions here. She held her tongue, quiet, never complaining, doing all that she was told out of fear. She never fought back or protected those who were brought here to be sacrificed. _I’m such a hypocrite._

It was early and Mundus had barely shown through the windows when Illia’s mother called for her. “Come here, dear. I need to speak to you about something of utmost importance.”

“Yes, Mother.” She headed to her mother’s private room with dread, knots forming in her stomach, knowing what was about to come, as she watched her mother braid her long graying hair. 

She may have been beautiful once, but now she is an ugly woman, inside and out. 

“Illia, I have an important job for you. I’m sending you and Patrice to find me a sacrifice. This sacrifice must be as innocent as you can find, even a child, if you must. I will be conducting my Hagraven’s Trial in two days’ time and I have to pass. Do you understand, girl?”

“Yes, mother. I understand.” Illia kept her head down low so her mother wouldn’t see the fear, and grateful the robes masked her sweating. She made the bow appear deferential, something she had gotten good at after years of practice.

“This will be good for you as well, girl. You do this right and I pass my trial, when I become a Hagraven, I will reward you greatly, then you can ascend as I will, and have more power than you have ever dreamed!”

“Thank you, Mother.” Illia bowed again, feeling the bile rise up her throat.

“Do you know what will happen to you should you fail, girl? It will not be pleasant for you.” The threat in her mother’s eyes was clear: should Illia fail, she would be punished severely, it not outright killed.

The switch lashing out at her hands for every spell cast wrong, bleeding and raw, no healing allowed so she would learn her lessons properly through blood and pain. The memories flashed through her mind and she knew any punishment, should she fail, would be much worse.

“I understand, Mother.” Illia abruptly left her mother’s room and ran to the privy, unable to hold back the bile that rose from her stomach. She was longer hungry to find some breakfast.

It was quiet at the bottom level of Darklight Tower later that morning. Illia was alone with Patrice, getting ready, packing their bags for their travels to find a worthy sacrifice. She had not eaten anything and, while hungry, she was glad she didn’t as she felt perpetually ill.

“Hurry up, Illia! I want to get this over with and get our reward!” Patrice insisted. The girl was too excited and Illia wondered frequently what made girls like Patrice so willing and able to take another life.

Illia looked around the lowest level with all the crumbling stones, wondering how the tower held itself up with the few remaining carved rocks and sheer luck, wishing it would all come crumbling down on all of them. Her death would be worth it if it meant the end of the Darklight Coven.

Illia quietly pulled out her Dwarven dagger and looked at its golden gleam while Patrice had her back turned to her. Her eyes became moist with what she was about to do. She was so torn between fear and the need to do the right thing. 

She didn’t even bother to use magic. Before she could talk herself out of it, she grabbed Patrice’s billowy hair from behind, pulled her head back, and - silently - slit the girl’s throat. She held back her nausea while blood quickly spilled on the floor in front of her, letting Patrice crumpled silently to the ground. 

Tears spilled down her cheeks and a hand to her mouth while she waited for the wave of nausea to pass, regretful it had come to this. “I’m sorry, but I can’t be a part of this place anymore. We do such evil, evil things,” she whispered to the dead girl in apology.

_I don’t know if I can kill them all, but I have no choice. I will have to do whatever it takes to stop them and stop my mother._

There was no turning back. She ran up the steps to the next level. The tower was well-lit from all the candles which filled the stone steps, but instead of making it feel warm and inviting, it lent it an air of creepiness since Illia knew all too well what the tower was used for. 

The witches at Darklight Tower loved to keep pets such as Skeevers and Frost Spiders. She could hear skittering and squeaking from the creatures as she slowly reached the next level. Once she reached the top level, she ran into the vile beasts and quickly dispatched them with electricity, the stench of burnt fur and spider guts almost too much for her already unsettled stomach.

Illia pressed on to an old door at the end of the level that led to another flight of steps. The higher she reached, the stronger the smell of rotting flesh and dank wetness became. While her nose was relatively desensitized to the scent, she never truly got used to it, and it worsened the closer she got to the Hagravens.

At the next level, she ran into a witch and her pet Frost Spider. Seeing Illia armed with a bloodied dagger in one hand a spell in the other, she knew Illia had intentions to harm and started shooting at her with bolts of ice. Illia was trained by her mother and was one of the best in the Coven. She quickly dodged the bolts and stabbed the spider, which it promptly died, turning in on itself almost as if it were curling up to sleep.

Illia called forth her Frost Atronach to help her dispatch the witch. _Let’s see how you deal with me and my Atronach, my crazy sister!_

While the witch was distracted by the Atronach, Illia quickly slit the witch’s throat with her honed dagger. The smell of the coppery assaulted her nostrils, along with knowing she was killing her sisters, women she had grown up with was hard to stomach, but it had to be done.

_I’m sorry, sister, but what choice do I have?_

She continued to climb up until she reached a room covered in blood with bloodied tusks protruding out of the ground as if for decoration. Severed heads of Spriggrans graced the table while the Hagraven mumbled in incoherent ramblings, it’s wet and gurgly voice echoing through the room. _“Kill...hunger, vile things...hate them...eat...more death...so hungry…”_

The stench of rot, combined with body odor, was even more powerful in the room where many of the sacrifices were conducted. Illia was uncertain she could take out the hagraven, as she shook from fear the closer she approached.

It sensed Illia and shot forth several bolts of fire at her. Illia knew that Hagravens were powerful in destruction magic, so she would have to rely on her ward spell to protect herself from the flames while avoiding the Hagraven’s sharp and poisonous claws. 

Illia had to lower her ward if she wanted to kill the creature and suffered a burn on the arm from a blast of fire. She screamed in pain but shrugged it off as Illia rolled on the ground right up to the Hag and lunged her dagger straight up into the witch’s chin, killing her. The vile thing fell on top of her, bleeding all over. She had to shove off the creature, trying not to retch in disgust from the gore and smell. She swayed on her hands and knees as the bile was starting to burn her throat. She could no longer hold it back as she retched all over the bloodied stone floor, making the smell even worse. 

_You deserved every inch of pain I dealt you, you vile creature!_

Wiping her face of vomit and saliva with her sleeve, she sat up on her knees. She took a healing spell to her arm for a few minutes until she felt healed enough and sat while she replenished her mana levels. The Hagraven had been challenging to defeat, but Illia had another one to deal with soon and didn’t want to die from exhaustion or end up unable to cast a spell. She had no remorse for the Hagraven as she did the other witches. The Hagravens lost their humanity long ago.

 _I still cannot believe my mother wants to turn into one of those vile things_.

Once she felt restored enough and no longer wanted to retch, she continued on her path of death, killing witches and creatures along the way. The final door she needed to go through to reach her mother at the top where the altar was, was locked.

_Dammit! I don’t have a key. I’m going to have to kill the other Hagraven to get it. I was really hoping to avoid it._

Illia summoned her Frost Atronach to use it to distract another witch while she dealt with the Hagraven. Her intention was to deal with the most difficult first. Like the previous Hag, this one had powerful destruction spells sending bursts of fire against her wards. Illia couldn’t maintain her ward any longer but she didn’t let the Hag take advantage of this, throwing her dagger at it. The Hagraven grasped the blade in her shoulder, distracted while Illia summoned her most powerful chain lightning, feeling the crackles of electricity course through her hand. Using her dual casting, the spell managed to finally incinerate the disgusting creature.

Panting from exhaustion, she watched as her Atronach disintegrated. She still had to deal with the remaining witch. Fortunately, the witch was just as exhausted. Illia grabbed her dagger from the Hag and lunged at the woman, screaming and stabbing her repeatedly until she was dead. 

Illia fell onto her back on the cold stones to catch her breath and calm her heart. It was not only heavily beating from exertion, but from fear and so many emotions. She knew enough if she stayed resting any longer, her adrenaline would wear off causing hesitation with what she needed to do.

_Get up, Illia. You can’t stop now. Only one left then you can sleep for a week. You can do this...you have to do this!_

She got up to search the Hag looking for the key, trying not to gag from touching the creature, the smell making turning her stomach again. She headed back down to the room below and dug around some chests to find robe replacements. She couldn’t show her mother she was covered in blood. When she was done changing and cleaning herself, she didn’t rush in order to conserve her energy. There was no longer a hurry as the entire coven was dead other than her mother. She wanted to make sure her mana was wholly restored, and she was as strong as possible for the fight to come.

She had a plan which would hopefully reduce her chances of dying. Her mother was overconfident Illia was afraid of her so much she would never be defied. Illia would use this to her advantage.

Once she reached the door that led outside to the sacrificial altar, she paused her shaking and sweaty hand at the door handle. Illia had to convince herself that this was what she wanted to do— _what I have to do_. 

_Can you really kill your own mother, Illia? She doesn’t love you, you know this. You only serve a purpose for her. But she’s my mother...she brought me life. She will kill me anyway when she finds I failed to bring her an innocent and killing the entire coven._

Knowing her mother would never change and would kill her anyway, she pushed the door open, ready to face her.

Sylvia turned around when she heard someone coming through the door to the altar. “I see you have come, girl. That was fast. Where is my sacrifice? I told you how important this was to me.”

Illia quickly went through her lie in her head. “Yes, Mother. I would never dare to let you down, but I could not get the girl outside. Despite making offers of payment, she became scared. She’s very young like you wanted, Mother. Maybe you can bring her out?”

Her mother scoffed in disgust. “Very well. Where is she? I need her to be willing.”

“Just inside the door there.”

When Sylvia headed towards the door to get the girl who was not really there, Illia stabbed her mother in the back with her dagger. 

“I can’t let you do this anymore, Mother. You have to die now.”

“You traitorous bitch!” her mother spat out weakly, bleeding heavily from being stabbed. She lifted her hand to kill her daughter with ice when Illia stabbed her repeatedly until she was dead on the ground.

Illia, on her knees and covered in blood from her mother’s death, wept at her loss; the loss of her vile mother. She cried not just for her loss, but in relief that it was finally over, and she could make a new start without spending the rest of her life looking over her shoulder.

_My mother doesn’t deserve my tears, but I cannot help it._

When she was done weeping, she shakily stood up and went to her mother’s tent and to her chest. She wanted to recover her mother’s powerful staff for it would be a useful weapon to have. Opening the trunk, she pulled out the Staff of Hag’s Wrath which could create an immense firewall. She continued rummaging in the trunk, looking for coin or anything else of value she could sell. 

Illia found a large bag of coins as well as her mother’s leather-bound journal. Everything in her mind screamed at her not to open the journal; that she didn’t want to know what was inside, but her hands weren’t listening. She opened it and started scanning pages, holding back nausea once more, realizing she did Nirn a favor by killing her. One particular entry caught Illia’s eye.

_Middas, 16th day of Frost Fall, 4E 199_

_I hadn’t seen him in decades and he suddenly turned up here to visit me. Then Salazar left a month ago. I miss him a little, and I may have loved him once upon a time, but I got all I needed out of him. While pleasurable, he was more useful as a tool for power, teaching me more about Alteration and Illusions magics. The more powerful I am before I change to a Hagraven, the stronger I will be._

_Then I received word yesterday that the crazy Brenton had finally found it - The Eye of Magnus. He just needs to find the Staff of Magnus and some Elder Scroll to be able to travel anywhere in the realms of Aetherius, in any given time. He wants to look for particular realms for soul harvesting to fulfill his desire for immortality. A place where there won’t be those to stop him._

_Oh to be by his side at that moment! But I have my own destiny to fulfill._

Illia slammed the journal closed. _That was 6 months ago!_ She had lived at the coven her entire life and never knew of any man coming to the Tower. Perhaps her mother met him in secret. 

She wasn’t exactly sure what the Eye of Magnus was nor the staff, but she was going to have to find out. What her mother wrote in her journal sounded like this man needed to be stopped. Why do the crazy ones always want godhood or immortality? Illia knew people were not born evil and wondered what changed in a person’s life to turn them into those like her own mother and why. Then, Illia, who had suffered at the hands of her mother, had retained her empathy towards others.

She hoped to move on with her life, get a house, and settle down. Maybe get married and have some kids. After reading her mother’s journal, she realized her path was set before her. She knew then she must atone for everything she did or didn’t do living within the coven—to make amends. That meant hunting down necromancers and stopping their lust for the power of immortality. Nirn was dangerous enough without these necromancers making life worse. 

She needed help, which meant hiring someone. She couldn’t imagine anyone doing what she needed to do for free. Pulling out the bag of coin, she counted it to see how much she had. Hoping it was enough— _it will have to be_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Two cops try to solve the biggest and strangest case of their careers.


	3. Done to Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We Meet Oz and Charlie, two Investigators looking into the strange murder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, comment, and kudos!! It means a lot to me and keeps me encouraged to write!! <3

_as Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 11th, 2018_

_The boy stood there with unshed tears looking at his mother in the great big shiny box, still very young, not understanding what was happening. They told him she died of some disease, but he didn't know what it meant—he was just too young. All he knew was she would never hold him again, kiss away his boo-boos or read to him in bed at night. He walked away, looking back, knowing in the back of his small mind, he would never see her again as he held his father's large hand tightly._

_As he walked down the aisle and out the church doors, the somber bells kept ringing at the church, and he didn't know why. They kept getting more resonant and ringing faster..they hurt his head. Ding, ding, ding...He didn't like the bells. The bells scared him. They would always remind him of his mother's death. Ding...Ding...Ding… They were scary! Ding...Ding...Ding...He covered his ears with his hands from the ringing sounds as they resonated deeply into his head, reverberating in his ears as tears pooled out of his eyes. DING...DING...DING!!_

_Stop! Stop! Stop!_

_Dingdingdingdingdingdingding..._

Oz bolted upright in bed, sweating, and woke up to his phone ringing on his nightstand. The eerie glow of the phone permeated throughout the room. He quickly grabbed it, not even looking at the screen, knowing it was work and only one reason anyone would be calling this time of night. 

"Yeah…" he said groggily into his phone, rubbing his buzz cut with his other hand, trying to shake off the dream.

"Detective Dawson...we got a body out here and need you over at the Alexandria Aqueduct in Georgetown," said the unknown female voice on the other end.

"Yeah, give me 20," he sighed groggily and hung up, not bothering to look at the time. _So much for sleep_. Shaking the last vestiges of the dream out of his mind, he got up to quickly make some coffee and headed to the bathroom to brush his teeth. He looked in the mirror while he waited for the water to get hot in the sink. His dark skin was such a contrast to his light amber eyes that he inherited from his mother, and decided not to shave his black scruff on his chin. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and went to get dressed. 

He dressed in a pair of worn and comfortable jeans, a white t-shirt, and a blue and white button-up striped shirt. He put his Glock in his holster secured to his hip and clipped his badge to his belt. Putting on his sneakers, he headed to the kitchen and poured himself a cup of black coffee in a travel cup and headed out the door of his apartment in Dupont Circle.

Detective Oscar Dawson, Oz to his friends, was born and bred in Washington, D.C., and always wanted to be a cop since he was a child. Though growing up in a neighborhood where cops were mistrusted and often hated, he did it anyway, knowing his community would resent him for it— _it was better than the alternative_. At 34 years old, it didn't take him long to move up in the ranks. While he loved his job, he hated the death, which was why he chose homicide. It was a thankless job, but he wanted to find answers to those who lost their lives and give families closure. 

He parked on M Street near Key Bridge and walked down towards the Potomac River, already sweating from the humidity. Once he reached the crime scene, he could see his partner, Detective Charlie Adams. She was wearing her usual tactical pants, combat boots, and form-fitting t-shirt, and waved to her.

Oz clapped the auburn-haired woman on the back, his 6-foot 4-inch frame dwarfing her in comparison. Her short hair looked like she just rolled out of bed, which she probably did. "What's going on, Charlie? What can you tell me?"

Charlie looked at her partner with a slight smile on her face, and her gray-blue eyes had a hint of sadness in them. Like Oz, she never got used to the death either. She handed him a pair of latex gloves as they walked over to the crime scene.

"It's nothing like I have ever seen, Oz," she explained. "This will be one for the history books. I...cannot even explain it. You're just going to have to look for yourself." What she told him had Oz strangely curious because Charlie usually peppered him with details and analysis of the crimes. Rarely was she at a loss for words.

When they reached the crime scene, the floodlights pushed through the darkness so they could see and gather the evidence accurately. Oz squatted down next to the body, clearly female, empty eye sockets open as if in a permanent scream, but that was all he could tell. She was still fully clothed, her phone strapped to her bicep— _not raped, and not a theft gone wrong?_

There was blood everywhere on the ground, but it looked like she was one of those mummified corpses he used to see over at the Natural History Museum when he was a kid. Her skin looked wholly drained of all fluid substance, leaving a dried and wrinkled husk. 

_No wonder Charlie had no thoughts about this case. It doesn't make any sense. If she were here for a long time, she would have been discovered long ago and not wearing modern clothes, if any at all. Yet DC weather is too humid for mummification. If this were more recent, there would be signs of decomposition. The victim is dry as a bone, yet blood is everywhere._

He looked up at Charlie. "Was there any identification on her?"

Charlie nodded and handed him the small cardholder in a plastic evidence bag that contained a credit card, some cash, and her D.C. driver's license. _Jennifer Davies, age 28, 5-foot 5-inches, donor._

"The other strange thing is that there doesn't seem to be any struggle. The victim appeared to be running on the C&O Towpath, judging by her clothes and location, it seems that was the location of her ambush. But the area was scoured by the forensics team. There are no signs of any struggle, and there are no markings on the ground or on her that she may have been bound or dragged...almost as if she were a willing participant in her own death," Charlie explained, shaking her head. Once she saw the victim when she arrived, her stomach filled with dread, knowing that this wasn't just any murder.

Oz thought about the information Charlie gave him. "So, someone she knows, maybe?"

Charlie shrugged. "Possibly."

That still didn't sound quite right to him. "I don't know. If this happened recently, it would seem strange that someone who does this type of torture and killing would be a friend of some sort. It is cold and calculated. He would have to be exceptional at hiding his true intentions and psychopathy. And the fact that he left her out in the open like this knowing she would be found quickly indicates narcissism. He is someone who wouldn't care to hide his true intentions, yet it hidden enough for him to not get caught."

"It still doesn't explain how she died. I can't see anyone having the capability to do such a thing," she explained.

Oz sighed. "You're right. Let's take blood samples to make sure the blood is all hers. If we're lucky, she fought back and left some of the killer's blood behind. Anyway, we will see what the Medical Examiner has to say about it. Let's go check out her apartment, and then I better notify her family. Worst part of the job...ever."

Charlie nodded as they both walked over to the victim's apartment building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Did you find anything?" Oz yelled out to Charlie as they meticulously inspected the victim's apartment. 

He could tell Jennifer Davies made enough money to live in the area, but not enough to also make it homey with very little in the way of furniture or decorations. There was a mattress on the floor, some scattered photos of family and friends, but not much else in personal effects. She had no hidden and secret love letters, nor threatening ones. Her mail consisted mainly of bills and junk.

"Nope, nothing," she yelled back.

Oz would send a team for fingerprints, but he doubted they would find much. "Alright, let's head out. I'm going to sit in with the Medical Examiner, and I would like you to go to where she works and see if any of her co-workers can tell you anything, like strangers coming and going, stalkers...anything."

"Got it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sun had finally risen as Oz was heading out to the Medical Examiner's office when he received another call. "Detective Dawson…"

"Sir, we just got a call about some animals discovered dead. They appear to be similar to the recent victim and thought you should take a look."

"What do you mean, similar to the victim?"

"Well...they are dried out…"

 _Fuck_. "Alright, give me the location."

"It's off of George Washington Parkway...Donaldson Run Park…"

"I know it. Be there in 15." Oz quickly hung up and sped over to the park in his car. Once he arrived, the police already had crime scene tape up around a large perimeter. 

As soon as he crossed under the tape, an old and rotund cop busting out of his uniform and sweating approached him. "You Detective Dawson?"

"That's me," he said, holding out his badge and ID.

"This way, Detective." Oz followed the large man to the crime scene. 

They came to a clearing in the woods that was part of the park, and the cop made a show of lifting his arms into a "T" and spun slowly around. "Well, you're surrounded by it. You will see dead animals scattered all over the place in about a half an acre."

Oz walked around the ground seeing all the dead animals that looked just like his victim. There were deer, foxes, squirrels, one dog, and several cats. All of them were drained of fluids and looked like they were mummified, crispy, and brittle to the touch. 

Putting on some latex gloves, he knelt to inspect a large stag. He poked at it with a gloved finger and felt the skin give way like old paper. As he looked around at all the animal corpses, his stomach turned, not from disgust but fear.

 _Dammit. Please, please don't tell me I have a fledgling serial killer on my hands_ , he thought, but he knew deep down Jennifer Davies wouldn't be the last victim.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once all the animals were shipped off to the Medical Examiner, he headed that way as well to talk about the victim and see if she found anything. Due to the delay with the animals, he called Charlie to see if she could meet him.

"Charlie, are you done at her office?"

"Yes, I'm heading out to the station now."

"Learn anything?"

"No, unfortunately, no one saw anything unusual, though I'm not surprised."

"OK, since you're done, meet me at the morgue."

"You got it."

Twenty minutes later, Oz walked into the sterile white room, brightly lit in fluorescents with a vague scent of decay and rubbing alcohol, the combination exacerbating his headache. He could see Dr. Michelle Sims already working hard on the victim from this morning with Charlie watching. Dr. Sims' usually thick and dark long hair shoved under a surgical cap, and her ordinarily bright, dark brown eyes encased in thick goggles. She was in her mid-50s, but she hardly showed any signs of age on her walnut-colored skin. 

Lost in thought, she expertly cut into the victim and barely noticed the Detective walking in.

"You found anything yet, Mia?" he asked. They were long-time friends, and he rarely addressed her by her title anymore.

She ignored his question. "Gloves and cap!"

Oz reached to the table by the door to grab the latex gloves and cap for his head, not that he had much hair to shed, but she was meticulous, which was why she was so good at her job.

"I can't tell you much at the moment. I have never seen anything like this," Dr. Sims finally responded, looking too entirely enthralled by this mystery—a new challenge to be mastered. "Since she had no fluids left, I removed skin and hair samples and sent them to toxicology. I know of no toxins off the top of my head that could produce mummification quickly, but who knows...there could be some new man-made chemicals or poisons out there."

"What _can_ you tell us, Doc?" Charlie asked.

"Well, I can tell you that she's very much dead," she responded sarcastically. She looked up at them with a twinkle in her goggled eyes. "I would say, she is certainly mummified for she has no bodily fluids left and there is no decomposition, but this was an instantaneous thing, or nearly so. Even with mummification, you would see signs of decomposition. There is also the fact that the victim and ground were covered in fresh blood. I'm still running a match on the blood and to her skin. She is obviously not an ancient human, clearly alive recently."

"We gathered as much already...what else?" he asked.

Mia took her scalpel and pointed at the girl's nose, places on her arms, legs, and stomach. "You can see here, here and here...though she has no more fluids, there are the remnants of damage from torture. I can tell you one thing for certain...she was alive when she was tortured, and she died in excruciating pain."

"Fuck, Oz. We knew this was bad, but being alive while he did this to her...?" Charlie was disgusted. She usually had a strong stomach, she had to for her job, but the knowledge of the pain inflicted on this woman was almost too much.

Oz cringed at the knowledge as if things weren't bad enough for the girl. "Poor thing…Christ, I can't tell her parents that."

Mia looked up at her friend, knowing what it was like. She has had to tell many people their loved ones were dead over the years. She didn't envy him. "Well, they don't have to know the details, but you have to say something to explain the way she looks."

"That's the problem; I can't even do that."

"There are several animals headed your way, in case you don't know," he said, changing the subject.

She nodded, her face giving away nothing. "I heard..."

Charlie looked at him sharply. "Animals?"

"Yeah, sorry, I hadn't had a chance to tell you yet. They found a pile of dead animals like our victim here off of GW Parkway."

"Shit, please don't tell me we have some serial killer on our hands."

He nodded at her in understanding, having the same thoughts. "I hope not either, but we may." He looked over at Mia, engrossed in her job. "OK, I'm off. Please let me know if you have any new information at all."

"You will be the first to know," she responded with a wave of her hand, not looking at him.

He nodded at her and headed out to handle the ever-dreaded phone call to let the parents know of their precious daughter's death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Psijic Monks and Companions.


	4. Drumming Up Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illia discovers the true dangers of Salazar from the Psijic Order and seeks the help of the Companions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, comments, and kudos! It means so very much!!

_Illia Skyrim - The Rift - Tirdas, 16th of Rain's Hand 4E 200_

Illia packed up her bag to head out to find help. She needed to hire some mercenaries, but she wanted someone reputable, not common thugs for hire, someone who could handle what she was about to face. It would cost much of her coin, but there was no way she could do this alone.

While she was double-checking, she had everything she needed for her journey; there was a sudden blinding, bright light that engulfed the entire room of the tower. Illia covered her eyes from the glare with one hand and cast a chain lightning spell in the other when she saw a ghostly figure appear before her.

_What now?!_

Before she could react, the shimmering and ethereal form quickly spoke up, voice sounding strangely ethereal. "Please do not be alarmed. I mean you no harm." 

Alarmed, she was, indeed, as she eyed the ghostly figure with suspicion. He was an Altmer Sorcerer, but none she had ever seen before in his unfamiliar robes, clearly not part of the College of Winterhold. "Who are you?! What do you want?!"

"I would simply like to speak with you."

"Right, but you are still not telling me who you are. Do it now and do it quickly," Illia demanded from him, though she knew her spells would cause no damage to his ghostly form.

He bowed to her. "I am Quaranir from the Psijic Order. My colleagues and I have decided to contact you directly. I am afraid I cannot hold this for long, so I must be brief. We have seen you take down these necromancers and your mother. We were...impressed. Our order is very much against necromancy, and the situation here in Skyrim is of dire importance. We know you are off to hunt down a necromancer known as Salazar. We have been watching him from afar for some time, and he has stolen some things of great importance…"

She lowered her spell and decided to listen to what he had to say. "Yes, I am aware. He has found something that is called the Eye of Magnus."

"You are correct. The Eye of Magnus, as you people have taken to calling, has been found by Salazar. I am afraid the Staff of Magnus and found an Elder Scroll as well."

"So, he has found the other items then?" she asked.

"Indeed. It is a dire situation, as I have already indicated. Salazar has already used the three items in question to travel from realm to realm throughout Aetherius. We believe he seeks immortality, and he has found a way to find all the souls he needs in an unknown realm called Earth. Since it appeared you were off to hunt this warlock; we felt it would be prudent to provide you all the information you need to find him and deal with him."

"Why me? If you know so much and you are so powerful, why can you not handle him? It sounds as if he is beyond my abilities, especially now that he has all three relics."

He shook his head sadly. "You must understand, the Psijic Order does not...typically intervene directly in events. My order cannot act directly, so you must take it upon yourself to do so. The power this Salazar wields could be the destruction of Aetherius itself. The Eye is immensely powerful, and its staff used to read it without being blinded. We believe in conjunction with the Scroll, he not only traveled within the realms but to a different time as well. He not only needs to be found and stopped, but the Eye will need to be dealt with. It could become unstable and destroy all life as you know it. If you manage to reach the staff, use it on the Eye to stabilize it."

She sat down on her bed, heart beating rapidly in her chest from fear and rubbed her face with her hands. It had already been the worst day of her life, now this. _No, there is no way I can handle this_. "I...no, this is beyond me. I am not powerful enough to fight this man. I started to, but my goal was to stop him before he found all the items. Now you are telling me he has already done so. I cannot fight against such power."

"My Order and I believe you can, with some help, of course. I wish we could assist you, but we cannot get involved."

She was angry with this apparition claiming power yet none to wield in order to help. "You have more power than I do! I do not understand why you will not. I cannot do this! I am not strong enough!!"

"Yes, you can, and yes, you are. I am sorry, but that was all I can tell you...I must go. I can no longer hold this connection…" 

As Illia watch Quaranir completely fade from her sight, she stood up panicked and yelled out, despite knowing it was too late. "Wait!!"

_Dammit! I cannot do this! It is too much. But if he had confidence I could, perhaps I should try. And I was going to go after this Breton anyway. Shit! OK, I better not only find help but good help. I hope I have enough coin._

She nervously and quickly gathered her things and headed to Whiterun to find the Companions, but she had one more thing to do first.

She pulled her mother's body inside the tower and cast a fireball spell. The fiery sphere floated on her upright palm as she looked into it as it danced. Walking towards the stone steps, she turned and shot out her fireball spell, watching it explode against stone and wood, the fire consuming everything in its path, along with her mother. 

As she headed down each level of the tower, she incinerated them along with her dead sisters until there was nothing left but ash and stone. Once outside, she watched the tower consumed by flames, and black billowy smoke poured through the windows; eventually, the already weakened tower collapsed in a pile of carved stone and ash, blowing out debris in its wake.

_It is done then. No more sacrifices of innocents and no more pain for failures. All the atrocities committed here cleansed by fire._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Whiterun - Loredas, 20th of Rain's Hand 4E 200_

Illia arrived in Whiterun four days later and headed straight to Jorrvaskr, where the Companions lived. They were an old Warrior's Guild, and she needed someone capable of helping on her quest. She tentatively opened the large door to the old building that looked like some capsized boat, unsure of what to expect. Her mother did not let her out much, so she had read a lot to make up for the lack of life experience. She had heard stories of the old place and the ancient Guild but had never seen it first-hand.

When she walked in, the place was inviting and warm, with a large fire pit in the middle of the dining hall and food on the table, but no one to be seen. 

"Hello?" she yelled out and getting no response.

It was mid-day, so perhaps they were all outside training. Back outside again, Illia headed to the training yard, and she could see a few of the Companions practicing on straw dummies with their swords. They all looked inexperienced, and she hoped there were some more qualified to help her, more than what she was witnessing.

Walking up to the Companion closest to her, she could see he was a Dunmer, his dark skin perspiring as he whacked and hacked at one of the dummies. "Excuse me…"

"What do you want?" he asked rudely, not looking at her.

"I...I uhm...need to hire someone from your Guild. I need help with a job."

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her, the word 'hire' usually equated with 'coin.' He jutted his chin back at Jorrvaskr. "Downstairs...talk to Kodlak."

Nodding her head slowly once in acknowledgment, she ambled back inside Jorrvaskr and headed downstairs to their living quarters to find this Kodlak, whom she assumed was their leader. She ran into a lovely fellow Imperial and asked where she could find Kodlak. The woman pointed back towards the end of the building.

As Illia headed towards the back, she could see a handsome young Nord speaking softly to an elderly gentleman she assumed to be Kodlak. 

"Excuse me. I am here to hire someone from your Guild."

The young Nord watched the young mage approach them with wary, having no trust for them from his childhood. He narrowed his eyes as he watched her remove her hood so her face would not be hidden as her straight ebony hair spilled out in long tendrils along her shoulders. Her cerulean blue eyes filled with worry and nervousness.

She eyed the young man nervously, seeing mistrust in his silver eyes. _Why does he mistrust me_? Choosing to ignore him, she addressed the older gentleman instead. "Please, I can pay, but I do not have much."

He smiled as his kind eyes crinkled with age, one blinded with scars, an indication of a hard and violent life. His hand indicated Illia should sit in the chair next to him. "Please, have a seat, young lady, and tell me what troubles you. My name is Kodlak, and this young man is Vilkas."

Illia sat down, grateful he was at least polite. "I...well, I am not sure where to begin. It is quite a bit of a story."

"It always is," he chuckled. "Start from the beginning and see where it takes you?"

She nodded and started wringing her scarred hands from nerves, unsure how he was going to take what she was about to tell him. She knew she did the right thing with the coven, but others may not see it that way. "I am a former necromancer, an apprentice…"

Vilkas stood up with such violent force, it knocked over his chair and went straight for his sword, holding it high, ready to attack her as he tried to shut out the sudden flood of memories; memories he thought he had pushed aside so long ago. The simple word 'necromancer' triggering a strong reaction. He could feel his heart thumping hard in his chest as panic started to set in. 

"Vilkas, steady your sword and sit down...now. I understand your concern, son, but let us hear what she has to say before you start jumping to conclusions and cutting her down."

Vilkas did not want to. He swallowed hard, debating on whether to obey Kodlak or not. Calming himself down, he sheathed his sword, picked up his chair and grudgingly sat down roughly, but kept his hand on the hilt should he need to draw it quickly.

"I apologize for...his behavior. Vilkas and his brother were imprisoned and tortured by necromancers for many years."

Illia, wide-eyed, shaking and terrified by the outburst, nodded, looking at Vilkas' shaggy umber-colored hair and silver eyes warily. "I understand. I...I would be jumpy too," she said, trying to be understanding.

"Please, continue, young lady.."

"No, I...perhaps I have made a mistake." Illia abruptly stood up to leave, deciding to do this mission alone.

Kodlak knowing she was now afraid, thanks to Vilkas' outburst, tried to get her to sit back down. "Please, young lady. It is OK. You do not need to be afraid. I am sure whatever it is you need us to do, we can handle it." He said this as he eyed Vilkas, who squirmed uncomfortably under the Harbinger's scrutiny.

She nodded and sat back down warily. "My name is Illia Petreia...I am an _ex_ -necromancer." She looked at Vilkas when she enunciated the 'ex' part. "I was a part of the Darklight Tower Coven. I was still in training...been training all my life, but they wanted me to find an innocent sacrifice for my mother to kill, so she could move up to be a hagraven. I...I could not do it. I never had to bring them a sacrifice myself to kill. I watched them sacrifice before. It is...horrible, and I could not do it! I killed them all...all the witches, the Hagravens and...and my own mother!"

Illia covered her face and cried, embarrassed to show these two warriors so much emotion, but she couldn't control it. It was too much death, and she felt so alone after being surrounded by people who called her sister all her life. 

Kodlak patted her shoulder and let her cry it out. Vilkas, on the other hand, was not feeling overly sympathetic towards the young woman, but at least he no longer had his sword ready to cut her down.

"Take you time, Illia," Kodlak said patiently. He looked at Vilkas. "Vilkas, would you please be so kind as to grab this young woman a rag so she can wipe her face and a mug of water?"

Vilkas groaned inwardly but did as he was told. When he returned, he unceremoniously handed her the rag and slammed the mug hard enough on the table as it sloshed half its contents. She looked up at him with wet eyes, irritated, but thanked him anyway.

"That is enough, boy," Kodlak scolded Vilkas, who crossed his arms and sat moodily.

Kodlak looked at her, hand still on her shoulder for comfort. "Please, continue, Illia."

"It all started with my mother's journal. I thought I was done with the necromancers, and I was going to start a new life, but her journal changed everything. In it, she talked about a powerful necromancer, a Breton by the name of Salazar. He has stolen some very, very powerful magical items. I read he had already taken the Eye of Magnus. It is a tool used by Magnus to create Mundus, or so the story goes.

While that is scary by itself, a sorcerer from the Psijics approached me, which is an ancient and powerful Order. He informed me that not only did Salazar steal the Eye, but he has the Staff of Magnus and an Elder Scroll. He means to travel through time and space to make himself immortal. And if that does not make you concerned, perhaps knowing that unchecked, the Eye could destroy all of Aetherius, wipe it out of existence."

Kodlak was quiet for a while, thinking about all she told him. "If this Order is so old and powerful, can they not do this instead of sending a young apprentice mage?"

Illia laughed without humor. "Yes, I asked him the same thing. His only response was his order does not get involved in anything, no matter how dire and they believe me capable."

"I see, but he did get involved when he approached you...strange. So what is it you would like from us, Illia?"

"I need help. The sorcerer informed me I was to do this and seek help. But while I am a fairly experienced mage, I cannot do this alone. I know of your Guild and how strong you all are. I would like at least one of you to join me in finding this necromancer to try and stop him and find the Eye, along with the other relics. He is in another realm called Earth. I never heard of this realm, but that is where he is finding the souls he needs to become immortal, according to the Psijic mage. That would mean a great deal of death."

Kodlak looked at Vilkas. "I think Vilkas here would be perfect for the job. He is extremely talented with the great-sword, and he has the motivation to rid all of Nirn of this necromancer."

Vilkas looked at Kodlak like he had lost his mind. "But...but, Master…"

Kodlak raised a hand to silence the young man. "I am no one's 'master,' Vilkas. You are the perfect and most qualified person for the job. I am not going to force you, son, but I am strongly suggesting it. I understand how this might affect you negatively, but I believe you can do this." Kodlak also thought it would be a good way for Vilkas to face his demons finally. Vilkas had bottled them up for far too long, which was one of the reasons he struggled so much with his beast inside.

Vilkas sighed as he gave in to Kodlak's wishes. "Aye, fine." 

Illia was not happy that Vilkas was the one chosen to accompany her, afraid he would kill her in her sleep, and looked at Kodlak with fear. She was not going to hold back her concerns to Kodlak. It was her life, after all. "Uhm, sir, are you sure? He looked like he wanted to kill me earlier."

"Vilkas will do right by you, trust me on this. He will not hurt you."

"He may not hurt me, but that does not mean he would protect me either."

"He will do his duty, Illia." 

She nodded, still unsure, but she was relieved to at least hire a qualified Companion. 

"Do you even know where we are going?" Vilkas asked her, clearly not happy with this arrangement, either.

She shook her head at him. "No, I do not know. I do not even know where Earth is, though I assume if we find the Eye, it will lead us to this other realm."

Vilkas sighed heavily again. "Great," he muttered sarcastically. "So, we just circle throughout Skyrim with no destination...fantastic."

Illia ignored his sarcasm. "I think I can find it if I use a scrying technique. I can sometimes find things this way. For that, I will need something like a bowl of water. The bowl will have to be made of metal to help create a very smoother surface."

Vilkas brought her a bowl of water and put it down in front of her; his irritation still clearly palpable. 

"I need you all to be as silent as you can and do not touch the table to prevent ripples in the water if you do not mind…" She placed her hands on either side of the bowl, closed her eyes, and cast a spell neither men were familiar with. Her hands glowed an almost white color around the bowl as she quietly summoned a vision in the waters. Once she felt an image appear in the water, she looked down at the bowl to read what she was seeing.

"Hmmm, the vision is a bit cloudy. Salazar may have a spell around the area where he is keeping the Eye, but I can see the surrounding area. From there, we can get an idea of its location. I see possibly a cave...mountains, lots of rocks, a valley below. There are many trees, and the mountains are barren with...stacks of stones indicating some sort of path or entrance." 

She tried to focus harder on the image in the waters as the description could be anywhere in Skyrim. "A lush forest surrounds the area, but not like the ones you see in the Rift. There is...a lake to the East and to the West I see...Juniper."

Illia looked up at the men and shook her head in disappointment. "It is all I can see."

Kodlak had traveled all of Skyrim in his life and was very familiar with the terrain. "That could be in Falkreath, which has a large lake. It is a heavily wooded area with lots of stone mountains, and the mention of the West having Juniper indicates that is The Reach. So, it sounds like it could be a cave in between The Reach and Lake Ilinalta."

Vilkas was groaning and sighing once again. "It's a big area with lots of caves. It could take a long time to find this place."

Illia looked at him patiently and shook her head. "No, once we get closer, I will sense the magic surrounding it. Then we will know we have the right place. At least we do not have to search all of Skyrim. We will still have to seek out each cave, but at least we do not have to enter each one to see where he or the Eye may be."

"Fine…," Vilkas blew out air in frustration yet again. "I will get packed, and we can head out today."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Broody Vilkas, Unlikely friends and Necromancer Lairs


	5. On The Hunt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas reluctantly realizes Illia is not a threat and possibly had similar circumstances to his own. They finally find where the Eye of Magnus is hidden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of child abuse...read accordingly.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and Kudos! I appreciate all of it and respond to all comments! <3

_Skyrim - Whiterun - Loredas, 20th of Rain's Hand 4E 200_

Vilkas' long strides were hard for Illia to keep up with as he headed towards the stables to grab them both horses for the ride to Falkreath. _It would waste too much time if we walked there_. He wanted to get this job done and over with and head back to Jorrvaskr. He enjoyed the coin and found being a Companion rewarding, but he had a special hatred for necromancers, and while Illia is no longer one, he still did not trust her and was not sure why Kodlak did.

His memories of his childhood were vague, but he remembered enough that he and Farkas were abused with spells and cut into with daggers—barely remembering being saved. He hoped that his past would not distract him from his job, but he knew there was a possibility. Vilkas pushed aside his memories and did not like being forced to confront them. He was unsure of how he was going to react to it all.

Illia was not as athletic as Vilkas, and she was quickly out of breath when she ran to keep up with him. She watched him grab two horses, and while she would love nothing better than to ride a horse, she did not want to waste any more of her money. She only had 300 coins left and was not sure how long it would last her or how long this quest would take.

"Vilkas, Sir...uhm...I do not want to spend any more coin to rent a horse."

He turned around to look at her in annoyance. "Are you telling me you walked all the way over here from The Rift?"

Her patience was already wearing thin with this man and his attitude—tired of trying to be polite and being pushed around. "Look! I slaughtered my entire coven and killed my own mother. I am so sorry, your highness, I did not spend the time trying to find a horse. All I thought about was getting to you all." 

"Do you not have coin to rent one?" he asked, unfazed by her outburst.

"I have _some_ coin, and I gave the rest to you. I do not want to spend my food and supply money on a horse and have nothing left! It is not as if I have a regular paying job!" she spat, still angry. 

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Look, I am sorry I snapped. I am already on edge and you are not helping with that. I understand why you are wary of me...I get it. But this mission is more important than you or me, though it would be nice if we could get along. You need to know if you can trust me, but I need to know I can trust you to get the job done, and not get me killed because you harbor some hatred for mages."

"Necromancers," he corrected.

"Yes, necromancers, which I am no longer a part of. I never liked or wanted to be one. Like you, I was forced into a life I did not ask for nor want. You were imprisoned, but so was I. My mother gave me no choice. The way I see it, we have something in common."

He got into her face full of anger but just as quickly, backed off, and breathed deeply. "You are nothing like me! I was tort...forget it," he snapped.

He got on his horse looking down at her scowling, then reached out his hand to her. "Are you coming?"

She tentatively reached up, and he deftly lifted her onto his horse for them to share.

They rode in silence for several hours, the rocking and swaying of the horse and Vilkas' strange warm body were making Illia sleepy. She felt her eyes get heavy as images from the beginning of a dream entered her tired mind, head nodding on her chest. The horse jumped over something, causing her to bolt awake, almost falling to the ground. Vilkas caught her in time, but she did not want him to have to hold her tightly to keep her from falling off. She needed to stay awake.

"Vilkas…"

"Hmmm....," he grunted.

"Talk to me, please. I need to stay awake. The swaying of the horse and the silence is making me drowsy." She yawned as in confirmation to what she was saying

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything." She wanted to know what happened to him in his youth and how he got away. "How about you tell me what happened to you as a child."

"No."

"Why not? Because you do not trust me?"

"That is correct."

"Fine...whatever," she huffed and in frustration that she was stuck with this man.

When it got dark, they decided to make camp. He set up the tents while she got wood and made a fire. It was not too cold out, but chilly enough that she had goosebumps, so she sat closer to the fire nibbling on some cheese and bread. Illia was watching the flames dance in the fire. She tried not to overthink what lay before them or what laid behind her. She worried if she was going to come out of this alive. She had spent most of her life one foot in front of the other, going through the motions of living, trying not to overthink about the future, afraid of it. 

As he watched Illia staring into the fire, Vilkas realized he was taking out his stress and hatred out on her. His past was not her fault, and if she was trying to right wrongs, perhaps he should give her a chance. One thing he knew for sure, is he needed to get control of himself. Too many unwanted emotions and memories were flooding his mind, and he did not like it.

"My brother, Farkas, and I were held captive for years by necromancers. Farkas is my identical twin…" he said, deciding to talk to her, breaking her out of her reverie.

"What?" she asked, so tired she was not paying attention.

Annoyed at having to repeat himself, he sighed loudly. "I _said_ , Farkas, is my twin brother. We were held for years and we never learned why. Perhaps it was because we were identical twins. I do not remember too much, but there was torture, spells cast on us...I remember a lot of pain and I know we were kept in cages. If there were other children there, I never heard them."

She looked at his silvery eyes that virtually glowed in the firelight. She felt his pain, but she was not one of them. What he and his brother went through was not her fault. "I am so sorry that happened to you and your brother. I understand why you hate necromancers, but I hate them too. How did you get away?"

"I do not remember too much about that, either. We apparently were saved by Jergen. I do not know if he was some man who found us or what...He brought us to the Companions, which I believe he was one as well. Farkas calls him our father, but I have my doubts. Farkas does not even remember being imprisoned. I think he blocked it all out, but I do not try to tell him he is wrong. He is happier not knowing. I hold on to the horrible memories and nightmares for both of us."

She had her arms wrapped around her legs, staring at the fire. Long locks falling in her face as she absently tucked her hair behind her ears. "I am sorry, Vilkas. I know first-hand how these monsters can be. I have seen some horrible things, so I can imagine what was done to you and your brother. I was too young and weak to do much about it before, but as I got older...well, I became more craven, afraid to defy my mother. But hunting an innocent was the last straw and pushed me over the edge to finally do something about it.

It would only have been a matter of time before my mother forced me to be a Hagraven...make me kill an innocent. I felt so trapped for so long. I never knew my father and wondered why he would leave me with those like my mother. Perhaps she was not always this way, but she never cared to tell me. She used to beat me if I got a spell wrong or refused to watch a sacrifice...I...I don't know. I want to feel free, but now I think I have been forced into something I am not prepared for. It is as if I left one prison only to enter into another." 

Visions of her trying to conjure a Frost Atranoch, a complicated spell, at the age of ten, and her mother took a switch to her hands, making them bleed until she could finally conjure one. She absently rubbed her scarred hands from years of being hit with the switch and was not allowed to heal them, always aching.

He looked at her for a long while, hearing her own story; his eyes were then drawn to her hand-rubbing and noticed her scars for the first time. Memories of his personal abuse and seeing the same in her gave him a wave of guilt in how he had been treating Illia. _Perhaps we are not so different, after all. "_ You are right; we may have more in common than I thought. I wanted to hate you, but I can see how you were as much a victim."

She looked up, shyly at him. "Friends?" she asked as a way of a peace offering.

He chuckled dryly. "Well, I do not know if I would go that far yet…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Falkreath contained one too many caves, and as they headed West towards The Reach, Illia reached out with her magic to see if she could sense if they were close. Salazar had wards to protect his lair, but she would be able to detect this; whether or not she could break the ward and get in was another story.

Riding towards the next cave on their map, they rode on the horse in silence, their frustration palpable. Illia scanned their map while Vilkas steered the horse. She had marked off the caves they had already visited. There were a few more, so surely, they would find it soon, unless her visions were wrong. She did not want to think about that. Her magic was excellent only because her mother forced it so strongly on her through the pain. 

She scanned the mountains as Mundus was darkening the skies when she saw it there—a stack of stones by a cave entrance. The same stones she saw in her waters. "Vilkas! There!" 

Vilkas looked to where Illia was pointing up the mountain. He could see the stack of stones from a distance, just as she described. They were far enough away that if anyone were guarding, they would not be noticed. Vilkas and Illia were looking simply like travelers heading towards The Reach. 

He steered the horse to a copse of trees, out of sight, and they dismounted. "Wait a moment, Vilkas," she said, grabbing his arm to hold him back. "I need to be sure before we move forward."

Illia closed her eyes and held out both hands outwards as balls of yellow light formed in the palms of her hands. She reached out with her magic to sense any wards around the cave then cast a detect life spell to see if it was guarded as Vilkas watched her with patience until she was finished.

Her hands stopped emitting light as her eyes opened, focused squarely on Vilkas' face. "This is the place. I can feel a strong ward surrounding it, but I do not think it is anything I cannot get past. There is another mage guarding the entrance, I could feel, and not anyone we cannot handle. If I can bypass his ward, Salazar is either overconfident that no one will discover the place, or he does not care that much."

Vilkas scanned their map as she was talking. "Or it could be a trap or worse inside," he retorted. "The cave here is called Sunderstone Gorge."

"Yes, that is possible, too, and why I am glad to have someone with experience to give me their perspective."

He looked at her, and some of the hardness on his face melted away. "Aye, we work together, OK?"

She gave him a small smile, pleased he was coming around to not hating her so much. It was not a need for friendship as it was a need to feel safe around the very person she hired to help and protect her.

Illia and Vilkas slowly climbed up the rocky terrain, careful not to let loose stones and pebbles to cascade down the hill to not give away their position to the sentry posted outside the cave. Illia took point because she wanted to attack the mage stealthily. They did not know what was ahead of them as they pressed forward, so the less notice they received, the better. Vilkas may have been good at what he does, but it usually required him running into melees head first.

Crouched behind a boulder, they could see a female mage leaning against the cliffside bored. _Good, if she is bored, then she is not paying attention_ , Illia thought as she started to cast her chain lightning spell, feeling it crackle in her hands. 

Illia slowly approached the bored mage and shot out her lightning spell, watching the mage go rigid as the electricity coursed through her body, singing her insides. The mage quickly fell to the ground dead as Vilkas approached warily and on guard in case others showed. He stood ready as Illia spread her arms and cast her spell at the ward surrounding the cave entrance.

All was quiet as Illia struggled to bring down the ward. While she was confident she could bring it down, it was still a difficult task, and she knew it would drain her quite a bit. She pulled forth as much mana as she could muster, spreading it outwards towards the cave to break the strong barrier, casting her spell, palms out directly at the entrance.

Casting her spell for about ten minutes, she could feel herself weakening and blocked out Vilkas' eyes behind her, probably wondering what was taking her so long. She wanted to focus on the ward, but her mind kept drifting to her mother and all the beatings she received for every failed spell. ' _You stupid girl cannot even cast the simplest of spells. You are making me look like a fool in front of others! Cast it NOW, or I will get the switch!'_

The memories strangely fueled her and pushed her anger outwards along with her spell. Finally, she could feel it weakening as she pushed out every last bit of mana she had within towards the cave. 

The ward finally broke as Illia fell to her knees in exhaustion and completely drained of mana.

Vilkas kneeled by her side to make sure she was OK. "You did it! Are you alright?"

She nodded weakly. "Yes, just...just give me a minute. Uhm, can you please reach into my bag and pull out a blue bottle? I need to replenish my mana reserves if we are to continue. I am no good to anyone in this state."

Vilkas dug through her bag in slight embarrassment, not comfortable touching a woman's private things. When he finally felt her potions, he found the blue bottle and handed it to her. She quickly drank it as he helped her to stand.

She readied herself for battle. "Thank you. Let us proceed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sunderstone Gorge was a challenge for the pair, having to face several talented necromancers as well as traps everywhere. Vilkas snuck up and quickly killed the first necromancer with decapitation, but both were challenged with three more mages firing flame and frost bolts at them. Illia managed to kill two of them with her chain lightning and used her frost atronach as a distraction. 

Vilkas was close to killing the last necromancer while the mage was down on his knees. Then the mage summoned the last of his mana and shot Vilkas in the shoulder with a frost bolt. He could feel the icy pain spread through his shoulder and arm, but that did not stop him from finally killing the last mage, lobbing off his head.

"Fuck!" he grunted out. He dropped down to the bloodied ground groaning loudly in pain from the ice bolt protruding out of him, and he could feel his shoulder and arm going numb. It was a strange feeling to feel numbness yet pain, and there was strangely no blood like being shot by an arrow. 

"I am here. Hold still so I can help you." Illia bent down before him and summoned a weak fire spell to melt the ice without burning him. Once the ice dissolved, the pain and numbness remained, so she had to cast a potent healing spell on his shoulder until he was well enough to move on.

"It is nice to know there are some mages that have good uses as well," he grunted from pain and frustration. He cringed at his words and looked at her sheepishly. "That was unfair of me and uncalled for, especially after you helped me. I apologize."

"Forget it...you are welcome. Let us move."

The cave had been well-guarded and the traps meddlesome, but they pushed on, killing as they went. 

_Vilkas was right. Salazar was well prepared to prevent others from finding his lair._

Illia was getting tired, not used to this sort of battle. _If I get out of this, I am going to have to do more training in a more physical nature_. But Vilkas was tireless, despite the heavy armor and heavy weapons. If she got too tired, she knew he could press forward.

They opened a door and found a large room, and before them was what looked like a massive sphere of energy with swirling green and eerie light. She had never seen such a thing before, but there was no time for admiration and awe. Two necromancers were guarding it and beyond, and she could see a portal into another realm.

She pointed at the Eye and looked at Vilkas. "That must be the Eye of Magnus. You see that 'tear?' It looks like a portal to the other realm where Salazar must be," she whispered. "I was hoping he would be here so we would not have to follow him. But if he is there, we have to follow, Vilkas. I cannot tell you where it leads or if we will ever make it back, but we have to stop him. I hope it is this Earth, as I was informed."

He looked at her desperate and pleading eyes, absorbing what she was telling him. If he followed her to the other realm, he might not see his family ever again—his brother Farkas—suddenly feeling how heavy the weight on their shoulders was. But if he did not go and they failed, the Eye could wipe out all of existence, and he would have no brother to return to. 

She could see the fear in his eyes, but there was determination there as well. _Please do not let me do this alone._

He nodded, fearful, yet made his decision. "Let us get this over with then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Murders and a scary new world.


	6. Doorways

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is another murder. Vilkas and Illia go through the portal but it doesn't go as planned as they get separated in this new and unknown realm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting and kudos! It means so very much...I truly appreciate it! I make sure to comment in return.

_um Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 16th, 2018_

_Dried skin almost like tissue paper. No bodily fluids. Male, African American...no other similarities...random, yet the same. I knew there would be another one. Fuck!_

Kalorama Park was empty of people as the MPD had it completely cordoned off. People unhappy to be unable to walk their dogs and take their kids to the playground. 

The ninety-degree temperature and high humidity would have made any other corpse start to decompose quickly. Oz pulled out the man's wallet with latex gloves and put it in an evidence bag. It was still filled with credit cards and cash.

_Body fully clothed, nothing stolen. Random, yet the same. Serial killers generally hunt the same gender, race...why him? Why her? Daniel Jefferson, age 26, business card says he's an intern at Brock & Hammon Law Firm.* _

It was an understatement to say Oz was stressed. The past two deaths and all the animals were too bizarre. He didn't have a clue as to why or what or even how. He dreaded calling in the FBI, but he may have no choice in the end. If he were no closer to catching the killer, there would be more deaths.

"Any ideas, Charlie?" he asked, knowing she was as clueless as he, though hoping her intelligent insight would have some ideas. It was one of the reasons he pushed the Chief to make her his partner, despite her youth. She was smart and intuitive, a graduate from the University of Virginia. She could have gone anywhere—be a part of the FBI, but she chose the local Metro Police because she felt it would make more of a difference. He respected her for that. 

She absently rubbed the long scar on her cheek with a finger, something she frequently did when she was lost in thought. "I'm as baffled as you are, Oz. I don't know why this scares me. Well, in part, I do because I know that this is going to happen again. I feel it in my bones that this is only the beginning."

He nodded his head slowly in agreement, still squatting down, looking at the body. "We better get some answers soon. I already have the Chief breathing down my fucking neck about this, pressing me for answers I don't have. Even Dr. Sims is struggling. Toxicology came back negative on all known toxins...nothing. It's as if this was done...I don't know." He spoke methodically and more calmly than he felt. His insides were reeling from fear, knowing that if there was another death, the people of D.C. were going to start panicking.

Charlie didn't believe in the paranormal, but those thoughts kept crossing her mind. "I don't want to sound crazy here, but it's almost as if this is beyond the realm of normal physics, not that I believe in such things."

He looked at her in understanding. "The damned media has already given this killer a name, for god's sake. 'The Reaper' they call him...or her."

"Right because people aren't afraid enough…I doubt it's a woman, though. This seems too methodical - planned. I don't get a sense of this being overly passionate. Serial killings have been committed by women before, but my gut is telling me this is a man."

"I agree, but we can't rule it out."

Oz stood up from crouching by the victim, feeling a headache coming on. He didn't know what to tell the Chief. He had more questions than answers. Each death brought him closer and closer to the unknown. He felt selfish worrying about his job when there are dead people, but he couldn't help it. This kind of case could make or break a career. It could make or break his sanity as well.

All he knew was that he was going to have to find some answers, and soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Sunderstone Gorge - Morndas, 22nd of Rain's Hand 4E 200_

Illia felt the crackle of her chain lightning spell in her hands. It tingled as it coursed through her palms and fingers. Thrusting her hands out, she cast her spell at the two unsuspecting necromancers guarding the portal. Illia and Vilkas watched on while the two mages shook and jolted from the electrical currents running through their bodies until they fell to the ground, smoking and dead.

Vilkas pushed forward to ensure the mages were dead and unknowingly stepped into a trap. A fire atronach burst forth, looking like some strange goddess on fire, sending fire bolts at the two, both of whom rolled quickly out of the way. Illia conjured her lumbering frost atronach while sending ice bolts at the fiery female form, that was trying to kill them.

While it was distracted with Illia, Vilkas ran forward and hacked at it with his great-sword, quickly killing it with a downward cut.

"Vilkas! RUN!!!"

Vilkas heard Illia scream at him and didn't hesitate to flee quickly before the flame atronach turned into a fiery explosion that would have killed him if Illia had not warned him. _She saved my life._

"Thanks, I owe you twice now," he panted out in relief. "Perhaps I should have hired you."

They both stood there for a bit, strength before pressing forward.

Vilkas dug in his pack and pulled out some food for both of them while Illia looked around for any supplies they could acquire before heading through the portal. Who knew where it would take them and for how long. It was supposed to be a place called Earth, but neither of them knew what kind of realm it was or what dangers lurked in the unknown.

Both of them tried to eat, though their stomachs were roiling from fear of the unknown. 

"I took a look at the Eye of Magnus. I wish I had time to analyze it further as it is truly a marvel, though a dangerous one." 

All Vilkas saw was the potential for death, their deaths. Ever since he met Illia, he had been having more and more flashbacks of his past. They pushed and pulled through his mind unwanted—memories long kept in check until now. "I want to get this over with. The whole place gives me the creeps." 

"I can certainly understand that," she responded, trying to empathize, knowing what happened to him and his brother. "I did not see a special staff or scroll. He may have these items on him. He must be traveling back and forth, which is why the portal is still open, but I do not like the fact the staff is not here to maintain control of the Eye."

Vilkas stood up and absently brushed dirt off his armor from sitting on the floor while he tried to still his fear. "Well, no time like the present. Ready?"

She looked at him with sudden apprehension, and she could see the same in his silvery eyes. Nodding, they walked up closer to the Eye, feeling the energy ebb and flow around them. As they approached closer to the portal, they paused, unable to see beyond without going through. Both shook in fear, hearts beating faster as they unknowingly grasped each others' hands.

 _It' is now or never_ —both walked through, not knowing if they would come out on the other side alive. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 17th, 2018_

_Vilkas_

Vilkas fell through the portal, landed on his knees and retched the little food he had eaten only moments ago. The whole experience was quick, yet it felt like his insides were being pulled outside. The feeling was quite harrowing and nauseating.

His body shook as he stood, feeling weak-kneed and took a quick surveillance of the area. As clarity set in, he realized he could not see Illia anywhere. He spun around rapidly, trying to scan the area as it made him nauseous again, and he almost fell. 

_No! Where is she?! How did we get separated, or did something happen to her?_

Realizing they were separated through the portal or she was possibly dead, he observed where he was, trying to get the lay of the land. He was standing in some woods, but it was not quiet. There was a lot of noise he did not recognize—a constant din, and in the distance was a city of sorts. It was massive with very tall buildings, bigger than he had ever seen, and wondered if this was Earth or somewhere else. 

The air felt thick, and he found it hard to breathe with the heat and moisture, sweating in his armor. Vilkas was used to the cold, even when the days were warm, they weren't nearly this warm and wondered how the people who lived here could stand it.

Vilkas was not sure how to find Illia or if she was even close. Deciding that she would find her way to the city, he did the same. There was a bridge in the distance that would bring him closer to the city and started walking towards it. 

Suddenly, there was a rumbling sound he could not recognize above him. The sound was getting louder and louder, and as it got closer, it started to reverberate through his entire body. He drew his sword to be ready for what was coming. 

There it was, high up in the sky was what appeared to be a massive dragon-like creature. It was coming towards him faster than he had ever seen, unsure if he was going to live through this, but stood his ground, sword ready.

_By Ysmir, that noise!_

The creature's screaming noise proved too much for Vilkas as he dropped his sword and fell to the ground, covering his ears. He prepared for his death, unable to fight against such a monstrosity, but when he looked up, he found that it continued to fly away as the noise finally receded.

Vilkas shakily stood up and tried to still his rapidly beating heart. What is this place? _Is this what happened to the Dwemer? That creature looked like it was made of metal._

With hands still shaking, he sheathed his sword and looked back. He could see the shimmering movement of a portal that would have been hidden to anyone else, looking as if the land and trees were moving and swirling. He knew what the portal looked like, so he knew it was there. He mapped the area in his mind, so he could hopefully remember where to come back to.

He reluctantly pressed forward towards the city alone and hoped to find Illia. In the back of his mind, he was regretful he didn't ask for more money. The scope of this job was beyond him. If he could not find her, he would have to seek the help of others, wondering if he could even communicate with the people here. 

_Perhaps they have some warriors guild that I could seek out._

Trudging forward, he came to a clearing and could see people scattered all over the place. They all looked like him, yet of different colors. Men and women alike running, walking, or riding on some wagon-like structure with only two wheels and wondered how they did not fall over. Some were walking dogs similar to what he had in his own realm. Yet none of the people here wore armor of any sort. Many women were scantily clad, barely covering their bodies with legs showing, breasts bouncing as they ran for some unknown reason.

 _How do these people protect themselves? Are they all mages?_ He prayed to the Nine that this was not a realm of mages. None seemed to pay any attention to him as he walked towards the city.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Illia_

Illia fell through the portal straight into a great river. She was too busy to keep from drowning as she had to choke down the bile that forced its way up her stomach through her throat. She swam towards the shore, wet, but not cold. The water here was much warmer than that of Skyrim, and the temperature outside was the hottest she had ever felt.

Sitting down on the grass, she pulled everything out of her bag to dry in the light of Mundus, her food ruined. _Is it Mundus here or something else? She_ wondered as she looked around, taking stock of her location and the massive city before her. Looking up in the sky, she could see a giant ball of light and realized that it was not Mundus.

_I am definitely not on Nirn any longer. I hope this is Earth. If Vilkas and I were separated, are the portals not locked into place, or are there several portals throughout the area?_

She believed there were probably several portals, depending on where Salazar wanted to land, but not knowing why he would want one hovering over a river unless it was unused. Or maybe there was another reason for more than one portal. Perhaps it was not intentional.

She could feel the pull of Magicka here, though it was weaker. Maybe weaker was not the correct word...just different. She had to manipulate the magic for a while before she had the desired effect. It was going to take some getting used to and adapt, knowing she would have trouble casting spells and would require some practice before it became automatic once again.

After a few minutes, she was able to use a very low-level fire spell to dry all her belongings so she could move on and find Vilkas. The air was too moist for anything to dry on its own. 

Once everything was dry, she pulled out the metal bowl she took from the Companions to scry while traveling. First, she had to find Vilkas. She filled the bowl with the river water and put it down on the flattest surface she could find. She placed her hands on either side of the bowl and put her back against the breeze. She then pulled the magic to her hands and cast her spell to read the visions in the water.

She cleared her mind of all thoughts other than Vilkas. She watched Vilkas walking towards the city, looking out of place among the crowd, fear, and uncertainty on his face. At the same time, he looked at everyone as if they were the enemy, though none seemed to pay him any mind.

_Poor Vilkas does not understand what is going on. Neither do I, but I have a better idea, and I wish I were there to help keep him calm._

She watched him surrounded by people, sword drawn, on guard...fear, and anger, his eyes haunted, hair drenched in sweat. 

_Oh no! What is going on? Why are they suddenly surrounding him?_

She saw wagons without horses with blue and red lights and city guards pointing something at him— _weapons?_ They were calm, but on guard, as they neared him, saying words to him, she could not hear. He was grabbed from behind, his sword fell, and he was shoved on the ground, arms behind him, bound… _Dammit!_

Illia continued to watch, surprised her visions were so clear. No other magic or spells cast to block her. Vilkas was put into the wagon...it moved fast as it finally stopped to a building where he was taken out. She saw unfamiliar words she could not pronounce, but the same letters she was used to. She now had an image of where Vilkas was taken. She could ask about it.

She was about to stop scrying when she saw another image of a man she did not know. He looked like a Redguard, but he was clearly from this realm with his clothes. She watched him as he squatted next to a mummified body. At first, she thought he was the mage she was looking for, but the mage was a Breton, and this man had worry all over his face. The body was the direct result of a necromancer stealing the soul with a black soul gem. _I have to find this man as well._

Knowing she was in the correct realm, she repacked all her gear and headed out towards the city before her to find Vilkas and the large building he was taken to. She hoped they would not torture him as he was already struggling. 

She barely knew Vilkas, but she had a feeling his increase in fear had a lot to do with her and the necromancer based on what he told her of his childhood. He appeared to be mentally struggling with his past, and she was not sure he would be able to take torture on top of everything else. She had grown to like the man in the short time she had known him, but she regretted taking him to help her. He had some trauma leftover from his youth he had not dealt with, and she wished she had someone a bit more stable.

_It is what is, Illia. You are going to have to help him, and he is all you have now._

Illia walked across the long bridge with other people who looked just like her and Vilkas, though their clothes were quite strange. The noise of the city was almost unbearable as she tried not to cover her ears as she walked. Strange wagons were all over the roads that were able to move without horses. She was smart enough to realize this realm was much more advanced than Nirn, assuming that she and Vilkas not only traveled to another realm but another time as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Vilkas finds himself struggling in the new realm. Being a werewolf makes him doubly sensitive to the new environment.
> 
> * Law Firm is fictional.


	7. A Caged Skeever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor, poor Vilkas...that's just all I have to say on the matter lol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all, as always for reading, commenting and kudos! It means a lot and I always answer comments! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 16th, 2018_

_Vilkas_

Vilkas finally crossed the long bridge into the city. He stood there looking around, utterly bewildered, unsure of where to go. There were so many people and horseless wagons— _so much noise!_ The smells were so unfamiliar with so many of them; even his beast could not pinpoint their sources. It was overwhelming, despite having spent the better part of his life in the City of Whiterun. Trying not to panic, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself and brushed back his damp locks from his face. He was sweating so much from baking in his armor; he almost removed it right then and there. 

After walking a half of a mile, he came to a green-grassed park filled with more people, dogs of all shapes and colors, children running around screaming in pleasure. Some people were lying under the light of Mundus with hardly any clothes on, no one caring that some women were half-naked in the lush grass. Many were holding these small rectangle-shaped objects that garnered much of their attention, strangely talking into them.

This realm was so alien to him, and he was at a complete loss as to what to do. The only thing he could think was to ask someone about Illia; if maybe they had seen her. He came up to a random gentleman with a small fluffy white dog to ask, and he would work from there.

The gentleman on the bench was scrolling through his phone when he looked up at another man blotting out the Sun from view. He was in this strange costume, but clearly uncomfortable in it as he sweated profusely. Why is this man here wearing this costume in this heat? Living in D.C. all his life, nothing surprised him anymore.

Vilkas looked down at the man nervously and apologetically, hoping the man could understand him. "Excuse me, sir, but I seem to have lost a friend, and I do not know how to find her."

The man scrutinized the large man with a thick accent. Other than the armor, he seemed reasonable enough. "Who's your friend, and what does she look like? Do you have a picture of her?"

Vilkas was confused. _Picture? What's a picture? Does he mean a painting? How could I carry around a painting? "_ I do not have a...picture, is that what you said? We came...to your city together but got separated. She comes to my shoulder with long ebony hair, cerulean blue eyes, and she wears ma....uhm, temple robes. She would stand out here."

The man thought but shook his head. "No, I'm sorry. She doesn't sound familiar. Best of luck to you."

"Thank you." Frustrated, but it was stupid of him to assume that the first person he talked to would know about Illia. Someone suddenly banged him on his back as they were passing by. It was another man, younger, who pointed at Vilkas. "Nice costume, man! Real authentic!" he shouted as he was walking away. _Costume?_

The man sitting on the bench with his dog that Vilkas first approached, watched the man in costume. There was something off about him. He was sweating so much, and his eyes were full of nervousness and stress, looking entirely out of his element. He kept watching the strange man as he was talking to people asking about his friend. Parents were starting to eye the man strangely and warily, holding their children closer. 

_No, something isn't right with this guy_. 

Another man came up to the stranger, pointing out of the park, clearly indicating that he should leave. He was getting aggressive with the stranger, who instantly got defensive and drew his sword that looked all too real, causing people to stare in fear, some even panicking.

 _That's it; I'm calling the police_. The man on the bench dialed 911 and reported the man as a danger to the people of the park. It took only about ten minutes for the police to show up, lights flashing. 

The police quickly approached Vilkas, guns drawn, cautious of the man with the sword.

Vilkas assumed these were city guards, but they were pointing something unfamiliar at him, which he believed were some sort of weapon. He pointed his sword at all the guards but did not attack, unsure as to what to do. One guard woman tried to calm him down and asked him to drop his sword. He wanted to comply as he had always been obedient and lawful, but he was afraid.

"...drop your weapon now! Do it!"

"I...I cannot. I do not know what is going on! I just want to find my friend!" he pleaded, wishing to all the Gods to find Illia while cursing them at the same time for separating him from her.

He felt strong arms pinning his arms against his body. Vilkas was very strong in his own right, but he decided it would probably be best not to fight as he dropped his sword to the ground. He felt his body being slammed hard to the ground, arms bound behind him, and lifted. He was shoved into a horseless carriage as it moved quickly through the city. The movements made his stomach turn from the fast twists and turns.

When they stopped, one of the guards roughly pulled him out of the carriage, and Vilkas bent over to retch in the street after the horrific movements. The guard let him get sick, then shoved him into a building filled with so many guards and people. The noise since he had been in this realm had caused Vilkas' head to feel like it was going to explode. It was so unbearable that it was blurring his vision. It did not help that his beast inside made his hearing that much more sensitive. Along with the pain, there was the smell of old food and body odor—it was nauseating. All that combined with the fear and the heat, he felt like he was going to pass out.

"Whoa, steady there, big guy," the male guard said to him.

He led Vilkas to a table and had him sit in the chair. The guard looked at the female guard, "can you get this guy some Tylenol and water? He looks like he's not feeling too well. You're not on any drugs, are you?" Vilkas just shook his head.

Vilkas looked at the female guard gratefully, looking forward to some water. "Thank you," he whispered. "Can...can I please remove my armor? I am sweltering, and I...I feel like I may pass out. I promise not to flee. I am not a bad man."

The guard nodded and looked over at another guard to keep an eye on Vilkas to make sure he didn't flee. They unbound him, and Vilkas quickly went to work on his armor, removing all the metal and fur. His tunic was soaked with sweat, and he knew he was ripe with odor, but he didn't care, feeling the cool air caress his wet skin in relief.

Because Vilkas was cooperative, they left the bindings off of him. The female guard handed the pills and water to him. While Vilkas chugged the cup of water, he did not know what to do with the little white objects they gave him. "What are these?"

The female looked at him queerly. "They're Tylenol."

Vilkas must have looked completely confused, for she explained further. "You are supposed to drink them down with the water…" He was still confused, so she pressed on in her explanation, sighing loudly. "If you swallow them, they will help with whatever pain you are having."

"Oh, they are like a health potion, then?"

"Uhm, sure, buddy. Whatever."

Vilkas took the pills with more water they gave him, but he felt no change.

The guard sitting across from him nodded. "You feelin' better so we can proceed?"

Vilkas just nodded, despite not feeling better, wondering what they were proceeding to; what they wanted from him. All he wanted to do was find Illia, but everything turned into a disaster when they went through the portal. 

"Good then. Well, I'm Officer Wilkins. What's your name?"

"Vilkas."

"Vilkas what?"

"What?"

"Vilkas...what is your last name?"

"You mean my surname? No, I do not know it."

"You don't know you're own last name?" The cop looked at him with incredulousness.

"No, I never knew it."

The officer sighed. "OK, we will get back to that. What is your address?"

"Address?"

The officer looked at him sharply. "Look, buddy. I don't want to be here doing this all day. Are you going to be difficult?"

"I am sorry, I...I am not trying to be...difficult. I do not know what an address is."

"What about an ID? That has all the information I need."

"What's an ID?"

Vilkas watched Officer Wilkins pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration and blow out air. "Am I being punked here? OK, let's try this again. Where do you live?"

"Oh, OK. Yes. I live in Skyrim in Whiterun Hold."

"Skyrim? Where the hell is Skyrim? What country is that in? I can tell you aren't American by your accent."

"Skyrim is my country."

The officer slammed his pen down on the table. "I may not have graduated from Harvard, but I know Skyrim is NOT a fuckin' country, buddy. Do you take me for an idiot?"

Vilkas had to be smarter with his answers. He could tell this officer did not understand that he was from another realm. _Should I be honest here or lie? I wish Illia were here; she would know_. "No, sir. I do not find you to be an idiot. Look, I came here to...your country with my friend, and we got separated. I am just trying to find her."

"Fine, so what's up with the armor? You a part of some weird cosplay thing?"

"What is 'cosplay?' My armor is my armor. It protects me."

"Yes, buddy, I know what armor is. I'm wonderin' why in the hell you would need armor? Look...forget it. Let's start from the beginning. Why are you here in our country with no identification, passport...anything at all really? All you have is your armor and a massive sword. Your backpack has some clothes, stinky cheese, and a bag of gold."

Officer Wilkins was getting frustrated, Vilkas could see, and he was going to have to come up with answers. He could take a lot of pain, but he did not think he could handle torture at this point. His mind was not stable right now. Vilkas started sweating again at the thought, head pounding. "Please, I will tell you. Just...just do not torture me, please. I am not sure I can take it. I am trying to answer as best I can."

The officer was taken aback by the stranger's words. "Buddy, we...torture? We don't do torture. We are the police department and process criminals. If we find you guilty, then you go to jail, but there is no torture."

There was visible relief in Vilkas' silvery eyes. "Very well, I will tell you the rest of my story, but you may find me...crazy-sounding and most likely will not believe me."

"Try me…"

Vilkas nodded at the man. "I was hired by a woman, my friend, in my...country to hunt down a criminal. Where I come from, there is magic. My patron is a mage, and she found out that this man was a necromancer who is striving to be immortal. He stole some very important relics to flee from our realm of Nirn to yours...Earth? He needs a lot of souls to achieve this. When he steals souls, it makes him more powerful, yet it leaves the victims dead and without body fluids...they dry out. He will not stop until he has achieved his goal, and many will die before then. We have to stop him. It is not just him, but the relics will destroy all of our realms if left the way it is now."

The look on Officer Wilkins' face showed he didn't believe him. "See, I knew you wouldn't…" Before Vilkas could finish, the officer had Vilkas quickly handcuffed and thrown into a cell.

"You can stay here until we can get you interrogated. If you are involved in the recent murders, you're in some serious trouble, buddy."

"Involved?! I am not involved! I am trying to stop him! And, I thought you did not torture...you said!"

But the officer ignored him, hoping for a promotion for capturing The Reaper. Part of him believed this man was not the killer, but his story was so out there, what else could it be?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 17th, 2018_

Vilkas had been sitting in the bed in his cell for hours. He did not know how much time had passed, but he felt it was probably early in the morning. He was hungry and thirsty, but he knew they generally starve you before the torture to make it that much more painful. Vilkas tried not to sleep because he was afraid of the nightmares he knew would come, wishing he was with his brother. They learned a long time ago to help each other through the night terrors.

He looked up when he could see another guard approaching his cell and unlock it.

"Turn around and put your hands behind your back."

Vilkas did as he as ordered, but he wanted to resist and try to escape. There were just too many guards and strange candles in the ceilings. He would easily be caught, so he complied, dreading what was coming next. His head felt better due to the medicine, but his nerves were utterly frayed, as he felt the ever-familiar feelings of vertigo in his stomach from fear.

The female guard sat him down in a room with only two chairs and a table and removed his cuffs, and relocked him to the table.

"Sit tight, and I will be back with some food and a drink for you."

She returned shortly with some bread stuffed with unfamiliar foods and a drink in some strange mug made of metal. Vikas picked up the food and sniffed at it. It was such an unusual smell, but he ate it nonetheless, not knowing when he would eat again. Yet he was uncertain as to why they were feeding him if he was only to be tortured.

The officer stood in the corner on guard and watched him as he struggled to eat the peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Vilkas hated the stickiness of the sandwich as he struggled to pry it off the roof of his mouth, yet the sweetness of it was pleasant, reminding him of snowberry jam. As soon as he took a sip of his drink, he spat it out all over the table, the bubbles making him sneeze several times.

"What the...jeez, you made a fucking mess. Haven't you had a soda before?" She left to find something to clean up the mess and brought him some water as well.

After a few minutes of struggling to eat his meal, a petite female with cropped auburn hair, grey-blue eyes, and a long scar slicing down her left cheek walked into the room carrying papers. Her clothes were as strange as the other people he saw in the city with a black t-shirt, and the tight blue pants showed off all her curves with thick black boots. There was a beautiful tattoo on her hand like his people had, but much more ornate.

"Thank you, Julia, you can leave now. I will take it from here."

"Yes, ma'am."

She sat down across from Vilkas, put down her papers, and leaned back in her chair. She looked at him finally, scrutinizing him before she started her questions. He seemed very nervous and wary. His light silvery eyes were like nothing she had ever seen before, almost glowing like an animal at night. His medium-length dark brown wavy hair was a mess, and his body was ripe with odor. She tried not to cover her nose. 

"Hi, Vilkas. I'm Detective Adams. My partner and I are in charge of the strange homicides that have been going on in our city. We are trying to find the killer, but we have struggled to find answers until you arrived, who apparently and strangely, seems to know quite a bit about it."

He found himself relieved that there was this woman and her guards who had been trying to find Salazar as well, yet he was wary as to her calmness in addressing him, wondering when the torture was to begin.

"I...I do not think I can take the torture...I am strong, but I was tortured in my youth. I will tell you what you want to know. I have nothing to hide." He felt stupid for saying it and weak for begging not to be tortured.

Charlie looked at the man carefully, listening to his strange accent. There was undoubtedly pain there but wondered why he would believe she would torture him. _This man must have been abused before._

"Vilkas, we don't torture here. You are only being questioned as to what you know, but just because we don't torture doesn't mean we don't have our ways of getting answers." _I don't want to scare him, but I need answers_.

"Aye, what do you want to know?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Proofs of magic in a world that doesn't believe.


	8. Gut Reactions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas and Illia try to prove who they say they are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting and kudos! I appreciate you all so much!! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 17th, 2018_

_Vilkas_

Charlie had been questioning Vilkas for hours, it seemed. He appeared to be very cooperative, but his story was so far-fetched, crazy even. Magic, dragons, mages...it was straight out of a fairytale she used to read as a child. 

_This guy sounds like he's watched too many episodes of Game of Thrones._

She would have had given the man a psych-eval had the bodies been different from what he described. There was no rational explanation for the mummification of the bodies, and she was never one to keep within a box. Strangely, she believed the man as his story was so very detailed, and he appeared to be quite lucid and intelligent despite the lack of sleep.

 _Can it be possible? He says he can prove it. Well, he certainly believes it, anyway._

She could see how tired he was with his dark circles under his eyes and wondered when was the last time he slept. 

Vilkas felt like he had been beaten without being hit physically. He was exhausted from the stress and lack of sleep, and his senses were on a constant high alert, which was starting to drive him nuts, unable to tune it all out like he usually could. At least he was cool in the room. He was unsure of how the inside of a place could be so much cooler than the outside. On top of it all, he felt disgusting.

"Alright, Vilkas. I'm going to have an officer take you back to your cell. I would like you to try to get some sleep until I can talk to my partner and see what we should do with you...to see if you could assist us in our case or if we need to do something else."

"Please, I know you have doubts about my story, Detective Adams. I know it is hard to believe, but if you find my friend, she will prove to you I am not lying."

"Magic...right?" She needed him to cooperate, but the sarcasm slipped out.

"Aye. You would see for yourself. There is also the matter of the portal. I...I could show you."

 _This is fucking nuts. There is no magic, but he was so sure this woman could prove things to me_. "Very well. I will have my people keep an eye out for her."

"Thank you," he sighed in relief, though he had his doubts as he knew his story was hard to believe. If she came to his world, he was not sure he would believe her either. _Please find her;_ he willed to the woman.

"You're welcome and see; you still have all your fingernails," she said, winking at him, trying to put him more at ease.

He nodded, though there was still only wariness and fear in his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Illia_

After asking several people where to find the guards that took Vilkas, she found out she was looking for the police department. The people looked at her oddly, but no one questioned why she was dressed so strangely or carried a large staff on her back, or why she would not even know what a police department was. She was not sure why they did not seem to be too bothered by it all.

As she walked into the police department, she did not know where to go from there. The place was filled with throngs of people. Children were crying, two men were about to brawl, several people yelling and complaining, and there was a constant ringing sound. It was chaos and left her feeling overwhelmed. The din blocked rational thoughts, leaving her mind almost blank as to what to do. 

Finally, Illia saw a plump Redguard woman in a police uniform sitting behind a table with no one bothering her and walked up to her. "Excuse me, but can you tell me how to find someone here?"

The woman did not look up from what she was doing as she banged away at some letters on a strange thin board with light emitting from a larger board. The woman seemed to be staring at the peculiar board intently for some reason. "Missing persons or arrested."

"Arrested? As in captured?"

"What else would it be, honey?"

"Yes, my friend was...arrested."

"Name?" she asked as she kept banging away on the letters.

"Vilkas."

"Last name?"

"I do not know it."

The Redguard woman finally looked up at her strangely, staring at her unusual attire with a big stick attached to her back, but ignored it. She had seen crazier things. "Really, honey? You are a friend, but you don't know his last name?"

"No, he does not know it either is why. He was...orphaned."

"I see, well, I will do the best I can to find your 'Vilkas.'"

As the woman kept banging her fingers on the letter board, she exclaimed, "Well, what do you know...surprise, surprise. Yes, they brought a Vilkas in the late afternoon yesterday and held for questioning, but he was released...uhm released about an hour ago."

Illia's stomach dropped and hoped their form of questioning did not contain torture and the fact he was now gone. _Dammit, now I have to search for him again. So damned close!_

"So, he was let go?"

"Yes, here it says no charges filed, and he is to be released."

Part of her was relieved they let him go, but the other part was stressed that she would have to keep looking for him. "Do you know where he went?" She was so close to finding him only to realize they were separated once more, wishing she had gotten there sooner. _I was so close! This is what happened when you rested last night, Illia._

"Now how would I know that, honey? I can't keep track of every person that leaves this building and where they go."

"I understand. Well, is there someone I can talk to who might know? I have to find him; it is imperative."

Banging away on her board again, the woman discovered who was working his case. "Hmmmmm, well, there are two detectives in charge. Detective Adams was here, and she was the one who questioned your friend but has now left, and no, I don't know where. I'm not her nursemaid. Detective Dawson has yet to arrive. You can wait over there if you want to wait for him, though I doubt he would know where your friend is either." The woman pointed at a bench next to the wall.

Illia bowed her head to the woman. "Very well. Thank you." She strolled over to the bench to wait, hoping it would not take too terribly long. She was already hungry and thirsty, and so very tired, but she did not want to leave without getting some answers. Part of her wanted to run out and look for Vilkas. But he was already gone for an hour, and she did not know where to search. If Illia could not find answers here, she decided she would try to scry again and see if she could find him that way.

It must have been an hour waiting on the bench for the detective to arrive, and she was trying not to doze. She slept a little in a park the night before but did not get much sleep with the constant noise that never seemed to stop. Eventually, her burning eyes could not stay open any longer as she closed them to rest for a bit. She did not know how long she was asleep when she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder.

The delicate movement startled her awake, and she looked around, forgetting where she was for a moment. Then she eyed the handsome Redguard man from her vision before her. Her eyes were in shock with recognition. She did not know whether to feel excited or dread, for she did not know who he was. It was almost as if it were fate the two met like this. He squatted down to face her, knowing he was too tall for her to keep looking up.

"You…," she whispered in recognition.

He could see she recognized him or knew him, but he had never seen her before. He would have remembered her strange clothes and pretty face. "I am Detective Dawson. I hear you are looking for me about your friend who was connected to some deaths in our city. That you're looking for him?"

She rubbed her eyes from sleep, and to make sure her eyes were not playing tricks on her, she nodded. "Yes, I'm Illia. My friend, well, he is someone I hired to find a...killer from where we are from. We followed him to this city in hopes of putting a stop to him. I...I think I am supposed to find you. I had a vision of you."

Curiosity crossed his face as Oz looked up at the pretty yet wary woman. Her long dark hair in knots as if she hadn't brushed it in a while, her bright blue eyes reddened and darkened from a lack of sleep. He looked over her strange black robes wondering why she was dressed as such.

_Did she say she had a vision of me?_

"I see. Well, Illia, why don't you come with me to talk then you can tell me about these visions of yours and what you have to do with the man we arrested yesterday. We released your friend, by the way, as we had no evidence to hold him. While my partner thoroughly interrogated him, she believes he's not directly involved in the deaths."

"Thank you for that. I am pleased to know your intelligence could see that despite the crazy story, I am sure my partner gave you all."

"Well, nothing is certain yet," he said vaguely. He led her to a comfortable room that had leather chairs and soft benches, tables, and the smells of something edible.

"Have a seat, Illia."

She sat down at a table and thanked him as her stomach growled with hunger. 

Oz smiled at her. "Hungry?"

Illia nodded. "Yes, thirsty, too...please." She felt like she was begging, but she needed some sustenance. Her hands shook from the lack of food.

"Coffee?"

She looked at him with a blank stare. "I uhm probably should know what that is, but I do not. Do you have any tea?"

He looked at her strangely, knowing the whole world pretty much knew what coffee was, but he just chuckled. "Well, our coffee sucks anyway." He rummaged through cabinets until he found what he wanted and poured some hot water into a mug and handed it to her with a tea packet.

He watched her pick up the tea and sniff it strangely. Satisfied that it did not smell strange, she opened it and poured the contents out into her hot water.

"No, you...never mind." Oz then handed her a couple of donuts on a plate.

She sniffed those too, then nibbled on one. Realizing she liked them, she started cramming them in her mouth as if they were the best thing she had ever tasted. "Oh my, these are very good!" she exclaimed with a mouth full of donut.

He shook his head in wonder and laughed at her childish delight. "So, you never had coffee nor donuts. You and your partner are...interesting, to say the least."

"I am sure we are great curiosity," she smiled back, feeling strangely at ease with this handsome Redguard, who seemed relaxed around her. She was smart enough to know he was not a Redguard, but she did not know what else to call him.

He sat down with her, straddling the chair backward, his intense amber eyes focused solely on her. "Why don't you tell me you're story then, Illia. It would be good to know if your story and that of your friend corroborate."

"It is vital that I find him, Detective, but I will tell you."

 _I am just going to tell him the truth_ , she thought, knowing that was what Vilkas most likely did as well. She told Detective Dawson the whole story, leaving out the parts where she killed her entire coven and mother. She did not want to give this man reason to hold her, preventing her from finding Vilkas. "...that is why the bodies look like they do. I need to find him before there is more death. The relics he uses could destroy all of our realms."

Oz took everything she told him in stride. He tried to be open-minded, but this was really beyond him with stories of magic, other realms, dragons… "You seem like a nice and intelligent woman, Illia, and I want to believe you, but the story is strange and very hard to believe. I know your Vilkas told my partner something similar...your stories match, but really, this is a bit much. You see, we don't have magic here. I mean, what you describe is just like humans hundreds of years ago, though we didn't have dragons, nor was there magic."

"Oh, you certainly have magic, Detective. You and your people just forgot you had it. I am not sure what changed, but you no longer believe. There is definitely magic, for I can pull the Magicka to use in my spells; otherwise, I would not be able to do so."

Oz couldn't hide his incredulousness. "Illia, do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?"

"I am aware of how it might sound to _you_ , but I can prove it."

He didn't believe in magic at all, and he didn't know why he believed her despite her insane story. Part of him wanted to have her mental state evaluated, but his curiosity got the better of him, and he allowed her to prove it before he made any decisions. "Very well, Illia. Let's see it then," he said, knowing she wouldn't be able to do anything.

"I am going to start with something small to not scare you. Many of my spells can be quite dangerous. It will also take me a minute. I am still adjusting to the difference in the Magicka pool of your realm. Magicka is the energy with which I draw upon to cast spells." 

Oz watched as she placed her scarred palm upward, fingers facing him. Her hand slowly started to glow a bluish color as a ball of blue light formed in her hand out of nowhere and rise above them, like a blue and glowing bubble.

"Is there a way to blow out these....lights?" she asked.

He was shocked at first to see such a thing bobbing on her hand, but nodded, stood up, and turned off the lights from the breakroom. The bright blue ball of light floated about the room, turning everything a bluish hue. He turned the light back on and sat down again.

"This is called a Mage Light we use to see in the dark. It will also follow us wherever we go until the spell is expended. Well, what do you think?"

He had to admit that it was fascinating, though he still wasn't sold. "It could be a trick. People have done some wondrous things before that were hard to explain."

"I am certain it is because your realm has magic, and they knew how to manipulate it. I can do a lot more, some more dangerous than others." She then eyed him slyly. "You want to see something spectacular then? It may frighten you, but it will not hurt you...unless I want it to."

He scoffed at her confidence to surprise him. "By all means…" he said, waving a hand at her and leaned back in his chair to watch.

She had to concentrate harder on this spell as it was more complicated. She was well-versed in conjuring atronachs, but magic here made her struggle a bit. It would take a bit of time, but she wanted him to be sure—to believe that what she was doing was real magic. 

He watched her scarred hand glow blue again, this time a more vibrant and deeper hue. He watched her close her eyes in deep concentration, doubtful she could do more than what she had previously shown him as he watched the blue orb grow and grow. She quickly threw out her hand when he saw the ball of light explode loudly, fragments of light spreading outward. Oz jumped back, the chair falling behind him, heart beating faster as he watched a giant ice creature more massive than he, stomp through the breakroom crashing into tables and chairs. He looked at Illia, who had a knowing smile on her face watching his reaction.

_What the fuck is that?! Looks like a fucking hairless Yeti made of ice or something...crazy!_

She snapped her fingers as he watched the creature crumble into a pile of ice on the floor, already melting. The break room was a wreck with all the furniture knocked over and water all over the floor. He bent down and picked up a shard of ice, feeling its coldness as it started to melt to the warmth of his hand.

"That was called a Frost Atronach. I use it in battle. It is especially handy as a distraction, but it is powerful in its own right."

Oz laughed and raised his hands in defense. "OK, you sold me. That was...impressive. I can't explain it, and this thing just grew out of your hand... Then there's the physical evidence of the creature...wow!"

Illia could not help but giggle in delight with hands over her mouth at his reaction. She was so used to being surrounded by magic, and everyone had the capability with training and then to come to a place where no one even knew it existed. It was refreshing to see magic from different eyes. "There is also the portal and I can show you its location...to prove I am from somewhere else.

"OK, we can do that later. Urgh, the cleanup staff isn't going to be happy with this mess," Oz chuckled.

"Detective, this is has been...well, kind of fun to prove magic to you, but I really need to find my partner. He is out there alone and not as comfortable with the unknown as I am. I have a feeling he is struggling. He is a great warrior, but the poor man and his brother were tortured by the likes of Salazar when they were children. Since we have been on this mission, he has been...well, I can tell it is affecting him."

"I wish we could find him, but we let him go. We couldn't legally hold him any longer, and there is no address for him, but let's find him together, OK? I will tell my officers to keep an eye out as well. But I am not just altruistic. I believe I need you as you need me. I need your help finding this...Salazar? I'm struggling with this case, and I could use all the help I can get."

She nodded her head with worry, the humor gone as quickly as it came. "I understand."

She was worried about Vilkas' mental state, and if he was tortured here, he might have to be sent back to Skyrim. "Detective? Did you all torture Vilkas? I need to know as it will certainly affect his well-being."

He furrowed his brows, wondering about her strange question. "Please, call me Oz. And, no, we don't torture here, Illia. We don't do that sort of thing. They have torture where you are from?"

Illia nodded to confirm that Skyrim did indeed do that sometimes. Illia was relieved, not just for Vilkas' sake, but she needed him with finding Salazar and killing him.

"Illia, when is the last time you had anything real to eat or sleep?

Illia found herself suddenly nervous and wringing her scarred hands. "I really should not...I need to find him. Me resting is the reason I missed him when he came here."

"Hey, you won't do anyone any good unless you've eaten and you have slept. Don't feel guilty. We will find Vilkas, OK. It's what I do. Our police can find him easier than you can alone. Do you have any money?"

"Money? You mean coin?" He nodded at her. "I have some gold coins, yes, though not much. I doubt you use the same currency." She withdrew a coin out of her pouch to show him.

Oz held the coin and whistled. "I bet you could get some money from here, a lot of it with those. For now, let's get you some real food, and we are going to have to find you some clothes to help you fit in here. Deal?"

"Alright…" she was reluctant to focus on her clothes and food with Vilkas out there struggling, but perhaps he was right, and his police can find him easier, though the guilt did not leave her.

"Come on. I know a good place to eat. We can walk there."

They headed over to the local deli for some sandwiches down the street. Illia had some turkey with avocado and bacon. It was different than what she ever had before, but she quite enjoyed it. When she got back to Skyrim, she could easily slice some bread and layer it with meat and cheeses. 

As they were eating, Oz peppered her with questions. He believed who she claimed to be with the proof she provided, but he still had to make sure she was honest about her connection to the killer. He wouldn't be a good detective if he didn't look at all angles.

"So, Illia, tell me about this killer we are seeking," he asked with a mouth full of salami sandwich, wiping mustard off his mouth with a napkin.

Illia just wanted to eat she was so hungry and did not want to answer questions, then she felt guilty she was eating while Vilkas was out there with nothing, but she knew this handsome detective still wanted answers and probably did not fully trust her. "I honestly do not know much about him. Throughout our history, we have had necromancers who usually just raise the dead for their own power, but there are those who wish to be liches, seek immortality, even machinations for godhood. Usually, when they may become immortal, they are no longer the person they once were, turning into vile creatures."

"You aren't telling me they can achieve immortality?"

"Yes, under the right circumstances. But as I said, they generally are not what they once were."

She paused to eat more and washed it down with some water. "To achieve immortality, one has to take the soul of another, but it is not that simple. The necromancer has to have a certain type of crystal to trap the soul, specifically a black soul gem, which is hard to come by, and they have to have a lot of them. To obtain the soul, the victim is brutally tortured and a spell cast to trap it. The soul has to be tormented and in pain. I am sorry to say, but the victims you have faced so far died painfully."

He knew they were painfully tortured already from talking with Mia, the Medical Examiner. "Christ, how can I fight such a thing?" he asked rhetorically. Looking back at her, still wanting more answers. "How did you find all this out anyway?"

He watched her face turn into one of fear as her already pale skin paled even more. She quickly looked away from him, and he found himself suddenly suspicious. Her eyes then went from fear to sadness as she tried to hide her tears, not wanting to cry in front of so many people.

She shielded her face with her hand, so only Oz could see it. "I...it was horrible. You...you are going to think differently about me...maybe not trust me. But I want you to know that I am telling you the truth and am on your side, so I will tell you my story. Just...just please trust me when I tell you I had no choice."

"We all have choices."

"Not in my world," she retorted and tried not to weep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I made the two detectives believe them. I didn't want to drag out the proof. That doesn't mean anyone would accept this. I just set up my detectives to be a bit open-minded, especially with proof and due to the mysterious nature of the murders.
> 
> Next: A friend in need.


	9. An Unexpected Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas find an unlikely friend when he’s in need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting!!! It means so very much <3
> 
> Warning: Mentions of torture and child abuse.

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 17th, 2018_

_Vilkas_

An entire day had gone by, yet it was still hot and humid when he left the police station. _This is what water would feel as_ _if it was air._ He carried his armor because he could not bring himself to put it back on feeling disgusting and in need of a bath, knowing he would bake in it like some rancid meat pie, but there was nowhere for him to go to eat, bathe or sleep. 

Vilkas was relieved he was let go and that they did not torture, but he was no closer to finding Illia than before and wasted an entire day he could have spent finding her. He was also exhausted, having very little sleep as he sat on the steps in front of the police station to think. He felt utterly hopeless and pathetic right then. 

_How can I call myself a warrior when I can barely think straight._

Vilkas ran his hands through his already sweaty hair, filled with uncertainties, and wished he never took this job and missed his brother. At least he was not starving with the food they provided. He could handle bandits, fighting the Silver Hand, even frost trolls. But this was a different sort of monster. A monster he could not fix, attack, or kill—it was the mental struggle of it all. He felt pathetic and weak; the feelings of frustration were overwhelming. 

He knew he looked pathetic sitting there on the steps, head on his knees, the noise making his headache worse. His only thoughts were to go back to the portal and find his way home—let Illia deal with everything. He could not find her anyway. But that was not his way. He was not the type to give up and abandon a job or a partner. 

_By Ysmir, what do I do?!_

Vilkas suddenly felt a delicate hand on his shoulder, making him flinch. His fearful and uncertain eyes looked up to see the petite red-head who had questioned him earlier that morning. He groaned and looked back down at the ground. "What do you want now?" he grumped more than asked, wondering if she was going to torment him with more questions despite her letting him go.

He could see her sitting next to him on the steps out of his peripheral vision. "Why are you just sitting here. Don't you have somewhere to go?" she asked. She hated to let him go earlier, but they couldn't hold him any longer legally. She needed him for the case, and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to find him again. It was a relief to see he was still around. 

The poor guy looked absolutely miserable, though, so she did feel for him and tended to be drawn to hard-luck cases. Charlie had always been empathetic towards others who struggled. She understood it. It was why she did what she did for a living; to find those responsible for the suffering of others.

"I...I want to find Illia, and I do not know how to do that. I have no place to go to...I...when I travel I usually camp, but there is nowhere to do that. It is all stone and hard and...and…so many smells and all the noise!" A car horn blew right then, causing him to jump out of his skin.

She stood up, dusted the back of her jeans, and held out her hand to him. "Come on."

He looked up at the small woman holding out her hand and found himself reaching for it as if his hand had a mind of its own. She struggled to pull up his massive, dense, and reluctant frame but managed to get him upright.

Charlie guided Vilkas to her car, a small and gray thing that was electric, so she didn't feel overly guilty for driving. She decided to take him to her apartment to get him at least cleaned and fed. She tended to have good instincts, and her instincts were telling her he not only wouldn't hurt her, but he needed help, and she needed his. She needed him to trust her as she knew he was struggling with that after his interrogation.

She got in her car and waited for him to get in as he stood there outside of her car, not knowing what to do. Getting out of her car again, she looked over at him, head barely visible across the hood of her car. "Get in."

"I...I know I have to get in, but I do not know how."

Charlie headed over to his side of the car and opened the door for him, not questioning him about his inability to do it himself. "Throw your stuff in the back and get in, then sit down."

She watched him struggle to get his large frame in her small car, but once he finally got in, she got behind the wheel and reached over his body, grabbing the seat belt to buckle him in as he got a whiff of flowers and something else he didn't recognize in her hair. Starting the car, she blasted the A/C and rolled down the windows as he was ripe in body odor. Charlie lurched the car into traffic and headed to her apartment in Foggy Bottom. 

Driving for Vilkas was a horrid affair. Everything was moving too fast, and quick turns were trouble for his already delicate stomach.

She looked over at him and could see he was terrified, arms out on the dashboard looking quite green as Charlie effortlessly sped through the city. "Hang on. I live close. Try not to vomit in my car, OK...I would _greatly_ appreciate it." 

Vilkas did not even respond, could not answer, trying to keep his insides on the inside. He tried to close his eyes to ignore everything passing by so fast, but that made it worse. Though he did feel better with the cold air blowing on his face, not caring at the moment how it all worked.

Once she parked in the lot, she helped him out of the car. He was shaking and still feeling a bit nauseous, but he managed to grab his gear and followed her to some tiny room that had doors that slid open as if by magic. Reluctantly he entered as the doors shut, and he felt the room shudder and move. If he was not sick before, he was feeling it now combined with a sense of claustrophobia, sensing the world closing in around him.

Charlie touched him on the shoulder, making him flinch once more. "Hey, hang in there, big guy, OK? We are in an elevator that takes us up higher through the building, so we don't have to walk. It's safe." The torment in his eyes was getting too much for her. She was starting to believe everything that he told her during his interrogation. He was unfamiliar with everything around him— _no one could fake that, or he is completely deranged,_ but she knew he was lucid. 

They finally reached her apartment as the woman opened the door, and he followed close behind her, feeling colder air hit him much to his relief. Her 'apartment' as she called it did not look much different than what he was used to. It was small, but it had rooms, furniture, a place to cook, and more, though it did have many items he had never seen before. He walked around, looking at everything, and taking it all in. He headed over to a window and looked out at the massive city, then down as his stomach lurched from vertigo and backed away quickly, knocking a lamp over, almost breaking it as he scrambled to keep it from falling on the ground.

_Why does that make me sick? I travel through the mountains for fuck sake! Shor's beard, I have been feeling sick since I arrived here. When is it going to stop? I have got to get control of myself._

Charlie disrupted his thoughts by throwing him some piece of cloth, which he managed to catch. "That's a towel. Come on, let me show you the bathroom." He followed her to some type of privy and watched her fill up a basin full of warm water then handed him a bar of soap and a bottle of something. 

"If you need to...relieve yourself, that is where you do it," she said, pointing at the toilet as he nodded in understanding. "Push the handle down to get rid of it.

"The first thing you need to do is get clean. Buddy, no offense, but you are _ripe_. There is something about getting clean that makes one feel better as well. Go soak, get clean, and I will make us something to eat. The bottle there has shampoo...soap for your hair."

She walked out the door, leaving him behind, holding the towel. He gently grabbed her arm. "I...I do not know why you are doing this for me, but...but thank you."

The eyes still filled with uncertainty, but there was gratefulness as well. Charlie gave him a big smile and shrugged. "I'm a sucker for hard-luck cases, what can I say? Get clean... _please_ get clean."

Vilkas soaked in the basin that was larger than he was used to. It was long, so he was almost able to stretch out his massive frame. Despite all the heat outside, her home was cool, and it was a nice contrast to the warm waters soaking in his tired muscles. He lathered soap and washed his hair, grateful he was able to get rid of the smell. The shampoo smelled similar to her hair, which he liked.

As he was washing, he thought about his ability to handle this job. Usually, he was fearless, but ever since he was faced with Illia and having to chase after a necromancer, all he could think about was his past with his brother, surprised that Kodlak chose him for this job. Part of him wished he blocked it all out like his brother. It would have been kinder to him in the long run, but he did not forget, he remembered.

_I am just not able to mentally handle this job. What am I fucking doing? Then there is this detective woman helping me and why? I was the enemy in her eyes. What changed? And how can I find Illia? What does it matter anyway? I do not think I can handle this job, and I should go back._

Charlie was making them some early dinner of spaghetti and sipping on wine when he finally came out of the bathroom. He still had a distressed look on his face as he only held the towel to cover up between his legs, still dripping wet. "I...uhm, can't find my clothes."

She almost spewed her wine all over the place as she choked it all back, coughing, trying not to laugh, and tried not to admire his physique. His dark wavy hair was dripping down his scarred body. _Good lord, he's fit!_

"Sorry I am washing your clothes. Let me get you something to cover you up." 

Charlie left to her room and returned with a blanket he could wrap himself in. He draped it over his body and sat down on her plush and comfortable sofa, looking around her home and all the strange things in it while his clothes were in the washer.

"Thank you, Detective. Your...bench is comfortable."

"It's a couch. Thank you. And please, you're wrapped naked in a blanket on it...you may as well call me Charlie. My birth name is Charlotte, but I hate it, so everyone calls me Charlie.

She sat down next to him on the sofa. "It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to wash and dry your clothes. I am making us some dinner, so why don't we talk while dinner is simmering?"

He looked at her and nodded. "What else do you want to know besides what I told you already, Detec...Charlie?"

"Well, why don't you tell me about yourself, Vilkas?" she asked as she handed him a glass of wine and curled her legs under her, sipping on her own

He sniffed his glass. It was a smell he was familiar with, some sort of fermented grapes, as he chugged it down in a couple of gulps. She poured him some more from the bottle he kept on the coffee table. "Thirsty?"

He shook his head and chugged the wine again. "This is good. No, it has uhm, been a rough couple of days. Can I have some more."

She chuckled and poured him some more. "Yes, I've had days like those before. Nothing like drowning our sorrows in alcohol, huh?"

Vilkas felt his face and chest get warm from the wine and relaxed finally, starting to feel slightly dizzy. Usually, alcohol did not affect him much due to his beast blood, but this was a place that seemed to help him control his beast, barely hearing it snarl to get out like it usually does. It was a relief, especially since his mind was clouded enough from his new environment

"I have a twin brother. I do not remember when it happened...if we were born there or stolen, but we spent years with necromancers. They...they tortured my brother and me, burning us with spells, carved into us daggers, froze us, kept us in cages. Usually, necromancers kill and steal your soul or can raise the dead to aid them, but they kept us around for some reason...years. We never knew why. A man named Jergen saved us, or so he claimed. My brother thinks he was our father, but that does not make sense, but I do not tell him differently. He brought us to a...a group of warriors who raised us and trained us in weaponry. After many years, I was finally able to move past what happened. My brother had the fortune to forget...more like he blocked it out, but the nightmares were always a struggle for both of us. Those nightmares gone until recently."

She cringed at what he told her, unable to imagine a child being hurt like that and the horror they faced, and for years. It was a wonder the man was still sane at all. _He must have had excellent and loving care after he and his brother were saved._

Vilkas chugged the wine again, wishing he could forget. "It is why the woman, Illia hired me. Both of us had a reason to hunt down this man, Salazar. He feeds off of the innocent and does not care who he hurts as long as he gets more power." He stared blankly at his empty wine glass, lost in thought. "But since I have started this job, I...I cannot stop thinking about what happened to my brother and me. I am struggling to cope. It is not just Salazar, but your strange realm. There is too much stimulation...I...I am not sure why I'm telling you all this. Perhaps it is all the wine...I am uhm not used to drinking." He rubbed a hand through his thick wavy locks in frustration, his blanket falling off of his shoulders.

"Look, I can tell you are quite troubled. I have seen PTSD before...uhm, past trauma, and I see it in you. It's OK. Talking helps, but sometimes you never really get fully over the pain...I know from personal experience. You can talk to me." She figured something was wrong with him, more than feeling out of place

He nodded at her, still not sure why he was so open with her but grateful to talk to someone who wasn't judging him. "I am generally a strong warrior...fearless." He pointed at himself. "I am not like this and am afraid you are not seeing me at my best."

She poured him another glass of wine. "I think that is fairly clear, Vilkas. We all have days where we feel useless and not at our best. You're not alone."

Sipping his wine more slowly, feeling the warm liquid pour down his throat and through his chest. "We do not have people like you where I am from. We have city guards, but people like me are hired to find the kidnappers or hunt down bandits. Beyond the city, people are on their own. I am good at what I do, but I thought I was over my childhood. It appears all I did was pushed it aside."

"Well, sometimes there are triggers that bring forth memories long forgotten. There is nothing wrong with that, nor is it unusual. This case has brought forth your trigger." 

"Yes, I think this has...triggered me. Even if I find Illia, I am not sure how good I will be for her."

She didn't want to tell him that he could possibly be a hindrance in his state, but he seemed to recognize that. She looked at his fit body, trying to focus more on the scars instead and sipped some more wine. "Tell me about these scars. You seem to have a lot of them."

He looked down at his chest and shrugged. "I do not remember most of them. I had many since I was a child and assume that they were from the necromancers. I remember what happened to me, but not all the details. I was still quite young. Not all are from my childhood, though, some I received just doing my job." He pointed to his left bicep at a scar that looked like a large bite mark. "That was from a frost troll. I almost lost my arm that day were it not for my brother's quick thinking in treating it and rushing me to the nearest town to get healed."

"Did you seriously say 'frost troll?'" She had her doubts, but that bite on his arm was quite large. _But that could be from any large animal_.

"Aye, they are nasty creatures and quite aggressive." Vilkas suddenly found himself yawning. The combination of exhaustion, stress, and wine had left him very sleepy.

Charlie took note and decided they should eat before he passed out. "Come on... let's eat."

He sat down at her kitchen table, trying to wrap the blanket tightly around him. She handed him a bowl of food he had never seen before, but it smelled good, and his mouth watered. He was starving.

"This is spaghetti...it's noodles and tomato sauce with some sausage and herbs. You will like it, I think."

He picked up his fork and started to dig into the meal. Shoveling a large amount in his mouth, not caring if he liked it or not, he was so hungry; it left him wide-eyed in pleasure. "Dis is bery goob," he said with a mouth full of food.

She smiled at him, pleased he liked her cooking. "Glad you like it. Though I'm surprised you know how to use a fork after you not knowing anything else of this place...no offense."

He shrugged. "We use forks, bowls, mugs…we are not complete barbarians. There are similarities here, but my home is older. We even seem to strangely speak the same language. I think you are of a different time, though...the future. Your realm is much more advanced."

They ate in silence while Charlie processed what he just told her. He was not only of another realm but a different time? _Seriously, this is like out of a fucking movie_.

When he was finished eating, he cleaned his face of sauce and sat there, watching her clean up the mess in the kitchen. She was quite short and kind of pretty, the red hair reminding him of home, yet cropped like a boy's. It was strange not seeing women in long dresses or even armor, but everything here was strange.

When she was done cleaning the kitchen, she noted how quiet he became and turned to look back at him from the sink and saw his chin slumped on his chest, legs stretched out, sleeping. She left him there to set up the sofa bed in her office and made it with sheets and another blanket.

She gently touched his shoulder to wake him up. "Hey, come on, big guy. Let's get you some sleep, OK?"

He looked at her with sleepy eyes and nodded as he let her drag him to a room with a bed he didn't see before. 

"Get some sleep, and your clothes will be ready for you in the morning, OK?"

He nodded and lay down, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

She watched him sleep from the doorway, hoping tomorrow would be a better day for him. He was struggling, clearly, and despite his story, he appeared quite normal and spoke intelligently. The back of her mind also hoped she didn't make the wrong decision to take him in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking at her clock, it read 2:24 am. It wasn't like Charlie to wake up in the middle of the night, but something was bothering her, nagging at the back of her sleepy mind. That was when she heard it. Vilkas was having a nightmare. She could hear him groaning and talking loudly, though she couldn't understand what he was saying.

She got up, slipped on a pair of pajama bottoms, and went to check on him. He was thrashing around, moaning and sweating. Sitting next to him on the bed, she touched his bare shoulder to wake him up, but she removed her hand quickly. 

_He's burning up! Shit, I hope he's not sick_.

She gently shook him. "Vilkas! Wake up... you're having a nightmare."

Vilkas bolted upright covered in a sheen of sweat with wild eyes, not recognizing where he was and found himself starting to panic.

She could see the fear and panic in him and grasped him by the shoulders. "Vilkas, you are safe... it's Charlie. Just breathe....you need to breathe."

He looked at her, and recognition appeared in his eyes, but it did not do anything to calm him. The nightmare had proved too much.

She pressed her forehead to his and grasped his wet face so he would only focus on her. "Breathe, Vilkas...breathe. In deeply and out slowly." She breathed in deeply through her nose and let it out slowly through her mouth for him to follow what she was doing. He was focused now solely on Charlie as he mimicked her breathing until his heart settled, and he finally calmed down.

"There you go, big guy... you're fine. You're safe."

He nodded and closed his eyes, his head still pressed to hers. "Thank you…"

She sat up and looked at him with concern. "Vilkas, are you sick? Your skin is burning up. I need to know not just to get you treatment, but to protect myself."

"No, I am not sick. I never get sick. I...well as a Nord, we live in a cold climate, so our bodies adapted to run warmer than most. It is normal and part of why I am struggling in your warm environment."

"That's...interesting and good to know. Are you OK now? Feel like you can go back to sleep?"

He just nodded and laid back down. "Thank you, Charlie. I do not know how you knew, but my brother and I used to breathe together to help calm us from our nightmares when we were younger."

She smiled at him and nodded. "It's a standard calming technique. I'm just glad you are OK. Goodnight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Illia is forced to admit how she discovered Salazar


	10. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illia tells Oz everything. Oz helps Illia to fit in with his world and finds her a place to rest.
> 
> Shitty fanart posted. I can say that since it's my own lol. Seriously, men are freaking hard to do, let alone fan art. Vilkas turned out the worst but after working on this for a while, I gave up and posted what I had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and hope you are enjoying it so far! I appreciate all the comments and kudos...it means so very much, as always!! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 17th, 2018_

_Illia_

“I need you to understand...where I come from, we do not have people like you. Only the towns and cities have guards. The rest of us are left to our own devices and to fend for ourselves. We can hire warriors or mercenaries as I did coming here, or we take things into our own hands.” She wrung her hands in worry, afraid she would be imprisoned. Even where she came from, murder was wrong.

Oz looked at her thoughtfully, knowing she probably did something morally questionable, and she was worried. “I understand...go on.”

She was done eating but wanted to eat more to procrastinate and instead took a sip of water. She decided to dive right into her story finally. “My mother trained me to be a mage from a very young age. She was...harsh in her training. She would take a switch to my hands whenever I got a spell wrong, which is why my hands are so scarred. She whipped me in other areas of my body as well, but mainly my hands because that is what I use to cast my spells.”

Oz was always disgusted by abuse to children. He had wondered why her hands were so scarred, and hearing it was due to her mother made him sick to his stomach. “Shit…”

“I grew up with necromancers, like the man we are hunting. I saw so much torture and death, and I could never handle it. But I suffered it because I had nowhere to go and I was so young...afraid. It was not until I was older and had thoughts of escape, but I was always surrounded by others. I knew if I got caught escaping, they would kill me...my mother would kill me.

One day the inevitable happened, and my mother asked me to fetch her an innocent, preferably a child, to sacrifice. Before I was on the outside looking in, now I was put in a position to take part in it. It was a trial for her to advance in our coven. She threatened me if I did not succeed. I knew she would punish me severely or even kill me if I failed. But...but…”

“It’s OK, go on. I have a feeling of what is coming, Illia.”

“I was with another apprentice, and something just clicked in me that day. I...I killed her. Slit her throat. It was better they all died, not caring if I died as well than to see another innocent suffer. This time it would have been at my hands...my fault, though I had been complicit for years through inaction due to fear. I could not take it anymore. I ran through our whole tower, killing off all the witches I once called sisters until I reached my mother. I...I stabbed her in the back because I was no match for her power.”

She placed her hands around her face as she struggled not to cry, breathing to calm herself. It was hard enough to tell her story without being surrounded by others, some of whom were staring.

Oz watched her trying not to cry and couldn’t imagine having to kill your own parent due to that sort of fear. If roles had been reversed, he might have done the same thing to save an innocent and after being abused for years. He reached over and patted her shoulder, letting her know she was safe.

She wiped her eyes and nose with a napkin and proceeded with her story. “I found my mother’s journal and read that this man Salazar was trying to achieve immortality. I decided that day I killed my whole coven that I was going to fight necromancy to prevent more death of innocents. The information led me to his lair, where there was a portal to your world. Vilkas and I went through, but we were separated. Well, you know the rest…”

“I’m not sure how to take all the murder you committed, to be honest. I guess I can see why you did it. It’s disconcerting, though I am very sorry your mother abused you like that. The world can be a cruel place.”

“Where I come from, it is more cruel than you would ever know. If there were another way for me to escape, I would have. Mages have ways of finding others. There would have been nowhere for me to hide. You...you are not going to imprison me, are you?” She was fighting back the tears, more from fear than what she had done.

“I’m not. If you committed those crimes here...who knows. But if you believe they would have killed you had you escaped, I guess I have to understand. From my perspective, all murder is wrong, but I’m not so rigid to know there are always exceptions, such as self-defense. I don’t think you did it because you’re evil or cruel...then again, I just met you.”

He could see she was still upset and uncertain. _I guess if I were in some other strange world, I would be afraid too_. “Come on. Let’s go, and we better get you some proper clothes. If you are going to help us, you’re going to have to fit in here.”

She followed him out as he walked through Dupont Circle, looking for a clothing store for Illia. They found a woman’s fashion store, and the clerk there helped pick a few items for her to wear. She came out of the dressing room dressed in a pair of jeans, a short-sleeved red knit t-shirt, and white sneakers. 

She struggled to get dressed in the strange clothes. They felt constricting, and she wondered how women wore such tight clothes. The bra was even worse, one of the most uncomfortable things she had ever worn, but she could tell by the Detective’s eyes that he was pleased with how she looked.

It was hard to tell what she looked like under all her robes, but she had a beautiful and lithe figure. She looked like she fit in perfectly. Illia smiled at him shyly, looking uncomfortable. “You look great, Illia. Red is your color. I’m sure it’s all strange, but you’ll get used to it.”

Oz paid for the items, and as they walked out, she grabbed his arm. “Thank you for this. I have gold I can give you to pay you back.” She started rummaging in her bag to pull out her coins to give him.

“Don’t worry about it. It comes out of the department’s budget. We will get you some money by exchanging your coins later. Now we need to find you a place to stay. There is an apartment close by we use to place people under protection and such...a safe house. It’s nothing fancy, but it has a bed and everything you need to clean up.”

“That sounds great. I am exhausted.”

Getting to the apartment was nerve-wracking while she rode inside the horseless carriage, stomach roiling. Then the strange box moving them up through the building was suffocating as well. Once inside the apartment, she started to breathe easier and settle down. 

Oz showed her how everything worked, including the strange ‘TV’ he called it and how to run the bath.

“Get cleaned up and some rest. I need to get some work done and talk to my boss, but I will be back in a few hours with some food, OK? We will spend the morning looking for Vilkas, sound good?”

“Alright, thank you...for everything.”

“My pleasure, Illia.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illia tried to put on the TV as Oz showed her, but it was too loud and strange with too much stimulation, so she quickly turned it off. Deciding to take a bath instead, she headed to the ‘bathroom’ he called it and started to fill up the tub. Once the water was to her liking, she stripped off all her clothes and hoped she could figure out how to put them on again.

The warm water felt wonderful as she soaked and finally relaxed. She did not like all the heat of the city, but the warm water helped calm her, and she knew she did not smell too pleasant either. After bathing, she could not figure out how to put her clothes back on again, especially the bra. Frustrated, she wrapped herself in the blanket. She was so tired, so she laid down on the bed, which was softer than she had ever felt in her life, and quickly fell asleep.

She must not have heard Oz knock on the door or enter the apartment; she was so tired. He lightly shook her awake, and as she stirred, she could smell food, not knowing what it was, but it smelled delicious, telling her stomach that it was hungry.

“Hey, I have some dinner for us. Go ahead and get dressed, then we can eat,” he said, trying to ignore the fact that she was naked under the blanket after seeing all her clothes on the chair.

She looked at him sheepishly and blushed lightly. “I...uhm could not figure out my new clothes. I put on my top, but it did not look the same, and I could not figure out the pants, and I almost burned my bra with my flame spell. The woman did not teach me; she just did it all for me. I should have paid more attention.”

He chuckled at the burning bra image and waved away her embarrassment. “We will figure it out, OK? Here, let me see those jeans.” He pointed at the zipper and the button. “These go in the front, and you need to put the button through the hole first, then pull up the pants from the top where the button is, and with your other hand, pull up the zipper.”

She nodded, went to the bathroom, and put on her pants and top. After a few tries with the tight button, she finally managed to get them on. She came out dressed, and he turned her around to look at her top. It seemed not only backward but inside out.

He chuckled again at her as she blushed heavily from his humor. “I know this must seem terribly funny to you, but I do not wear these things,” she huffed, slightly peeved.

Her reaction made him laugh more. “I’m sorry, Illia. I find I cannot help it, but I apologize. Just remove your top; it is inside out. Then this tag by the neck should be in the back, not the front. OK?” 

She started to take it off to move it around before he quickly stopped her. “Stop! No, do it in the bathroom...please.”

“Right...sorry.” She was never afraid to undress in front of others as she grew up with all women, quickly forgetting things were different in front of a man. Back in the bathroom, she fixed her top as well.

She came out and showed him to make sure she put it on correctly. He noticed she didn’t put on her bra, and he wasn’t about to teach her. He would ask Charlie later to help her. Her small, but perky breasts didn’t need one anyway — _eyes off her chest, Detective_.

They sat down at the table where he was putting out the food as she continued to pout in frustration and embarrassment over the clothes issue. “It is so much easier just to put on a robe.”

“Haha, indeed. I have to admit, our clothing here can be quite complicated, though I’m sure your people have complicated attire as well.”

Oz poured her some wine he brought and handed her a plate of food. “It’s nothing fancy; just pizza, but it’s pretty damned good pizza. Try it. I brought us some wine to see if it helps you relax a bit.”

Illia took a tentative bite of the pizza, which was hot and full of creamy and melting cheese. Cheese was familiar to her, but not with the sauce and meat. “It is...interesting and very rich, and a bit heavy. I am more used to eating vegetables and stews with game meat, such as rabbit or pheasant.”

He watched her take small bites of her pizza and drinking more wine than anything. She was such an anomaly and strangely forthcoming about everything. It was refreshing. Most people he dealt with were either liars or they hid more information than they revealed, even with the women he dated. 

She looked at him watching her, his amber eyes so focused on what she was doing. “Tell me about yourself, Detective. You know so much about me.”

“Fair enough. Well, I was raised by my father and two older sisters when my mother died when I was five years old from cancer. I grew up fighting the violence of my neighborhood...well, more like resisted it and decided I wanted to be a cop. My people hated me for it, but I had to do some good in this world.” He grabbed another slice of pizza and shoved a large bite in his mouth.

“Why would your people hate you for doing a good thing with your life?”

“Well, my neighborhood was mainly filled with criminals...gangs. It could be quite violent at times. That was the direction they expected me to go in. So now they don’t trust me.”

Illia had not had much to eat, and she never drank too much, so she was becoming quickly lightheaded and bold. She watched him talk as her chin rested on the palm of her hand. “Your dark skin reminds me of the Redguards we have in my world. They are dark like you.”

His eyes narrowed at her, always a bit defensive when people talked about skin color, but he soon realized that was not what she was talking about.

“The Redguards are quite formidable and amazing warriors. They are tall like you, but many are broad as well from years of wielding heavy swords. I have seen a few now and again growing up, but my mother did not let me out much.”

“What else do you have in your world?”

She gave him a tipsy chuckle and rested her elbows on the table, holding her wine glass with both hands. “Would you believe we also have humanoid cats and lizards? I do not see them here, but I have not seen the rest of your world. Usually, though, species intermingle together.”

“Cats and lizards? That’s...I’m sorry but hard to believe. So you all live together. Is there no hatred for other species or racism?”

“Oh, there is quite a bit of that. A lot, in fact. We have Dunmer, who are dark elves, and the Nords despise them on the whole, but the Dunmer have their own racist issues and have been known to enslave the Khajiits and Argonians...the cats and lizards.” She shrugged.

“You have elves as well? There have been stories about elves in our world.”

“Yes, we have three types of elves: the Altmer...definitely racist bastards, the Bosmer who live mostly in the woods and in tune with nature. Then the Dunmer, who I mentioned before. If you say there have been stories of elves in your world, perhaps they existed once.

“I don’t know about that. There has been no evidence of them. Anyway, your world sounds quite interesting, to say the least.”

“As is yours, Detective.”

“I’m sure I already told you, you can call me Oz.”

She nodded at him. “So, Oz...what is the plan then? I have to find my friend, and we have to find a killer.”

“The plan is to find your friend and hope we won’t have another death anytime soon, though I know there will be. We can take a look at the bodies and see if you can give us any insight into what we are looking at exactly.”

“I can certainly do that.”

“I’m not sure my partner will believe all this, so you may have to convince her as you did me today.”

He watched her nod and stifled a yawn. 

“I do not know why I am still so tired after my nap.”

“Wine can do that. You get some rest, and I am staying here with you tonight.”

She looked up at him with narrowed eyes. “For protection or keeping a close eye on me?”

“Both Illia. I believe on the whole what you told me, but it’s crazy nonetheless, and I struggle with it. I will sleep on the sofa, and you take the bed.”

“Fine. Goodnight, Oz.”

“Night, Illia.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Early the next morning, Charlie got a call from Oz. “Tell me what’s going on, Charlie. Any news?”

“Good morning to you too, Sunshine. You should probably know I have the man we arrested yesterday in my apartment...Vilkas. He just looked so miserable with nowhere to go. I couldn’t leave him. You know me…”

Oz wasn’t surprised by her behavior, but he was surprised she had the very man Illia was looking for. “You have him there...with you, right now?!”

“Yes, I’m so sorry, I should have called. It took me a while to get him settled...he’s very stressed.”

“You sure you’re safe with him, Charlie?”

“Definitely...trust me.”

“Very well. You should know then that I have his friend, Illia. I’m here with her in one of our safe houses. She’s been looking for him.”

“Holy shit! You seriously have her? How did you manage to find the very person we are looking for?”

“She knew he had been taken to the police department and tried to talk to either you or me to see where he went after he was released. She had just missed him.”

Charlie whispered so Vilkas couldn’t hear her. “Oz, what do you think? Can we believe their story? I’m starting to, but I trust your instincts.”

“Yes, I think they are after the very person we are. I believe her. Charlie...Christ, she knows magic...fucking seriously. She did some spell that I didn’t believe she could do and thought was a trick, but she actually...I...honestly I can’t even describe it. You’re going to have to see it for yourself.”

“Vilkas said something similar. He told me if we could find his friend that she would prove what he says is true.”

“We need to meet up somewhere and reunite these two.”

“Agreed. How about meeting in an hour over at that new coffee shop on Grace Street, Georgetown?”

“Sounds good!”

When he hung up, he looked at Illia, who had heard the whole one-sided conversation, not understanding what he was doing.

“What are you doing? Why are you talking into that thing?”

He did a mental head slap. “Sorry, of course. It is a phone we use to communicate with others. I was talking to my partner, Charlie.”

“She is the one who was questioning Vilkas. I remember what the Redguard woman told me yesterday.”

He smiled down at her, knowing she would be pleased that they found her partner. “Indeed. You will be pleased to know we have found your friend, Vilkas. He is now with my partner, who has been taking care of him.”

“Oh! She found him! Thank the Nine! Is he OK?”

“Yes, if I know Charlie, she took good care of him. But you will know for certain in an hour. We are all going to meet for breakfast, OK?”

Illia, quite unlike her, threw herself at Oz and gave him a big hug. _Finally, some good news!!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Reunions and plans.


	11. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas and Illia reunite

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and commenting!!! It means so much!! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 18th, 2018_

Charlie hung up the phone and heard Vilkas coming out of the bathroom wearing his now clean tunic and cloth breeches looking better than he did yesterday, though he still had dark circles under his eyes, clearly indicating he needed more sleep. He ran a hand through his mussed waves to give them some semblance of control. 

“You look better this morning. How do you feel?” she asked.

“Aye, I feel much better, thank you.” He suddenly looked embarrassed and blushed slightly. “Uhm, I am sorry about last night. I was hoping I would have been passed the nightmares by now, but I appreciate you calming me down.”

“You’re welcome. There is no need to feel embarrassed. It happens to the best of us, even me,” she shrugged.

He just nodded, standing there awkwardly, still embarrassed and not knowing what to say. He missed being home already and missed his brother. This world was so completely different, and he wondered if he would eventually adapt to it.

“I heard talking…”

“Oh! Yes! I have good news! My partner found yours.” She had been distracted, watching several emotions cross his face.

“Illia has been found? Oh, that is good news, indeed! When can I see her?”

“We are leaving here in about 30 minutes to meet them and have some breakfast. We will then talk about what to do with you both and decide how much you can aid us in our investigation, if at all.”

Excited for the first time since he arrived in this realm, Vilkas quickly headed to his room to gather his armor to put on and grab his sword. He did not look forward to wearing it in the heat, but he had to protect himself. Charlie heard all the metal banging against metal and went to his room to see what was going on.

She watched him reluctantly put on his armor and didn’t know if she should laugh or be shocked. The armor was so out of place in her world, and it was a bit ridiculous, but she also couldn’t have him walking around in it, nor with his sword.

“Vilkas, you cannot wear that, nor bring your sword for that matter. We will have to find you regular clothes, so you fit in better here.”

“How will I protect myself or Illia?”

“No one wears armor anymore...well not like that anyway. I’m sorry to say, but you stand out like a sore thumb.”

“How can I possibly look like a sore thumb?”

“No, you stand...nevermind. It doesn’t matter. Just leave everything here, please.”

“But what about my sword? Why can I not bring it with me?”

“Because I’m law enforcement, and we can’t have you running around wielding a sword.”

“If I cannot protect myself, then I am no different than anyone else, and I will serve no purpose for Illia, who hired me also to protect her. I insist on bringing at least my sword. I have to have a purpose.”

“I’m sure my partner has insisted your Illia do the same.”

“Illia does not need weapons...she has her hands. I am no mage. I am a warrior, and I am nothing without my sword. How do you protect yourself without swords or bows or magic?”

Charlie pulled out her Glock to how him. “I use this. It’s a gun that fires bullets. It is faster and more deadly than any sword or bow.”

Vilkas remembered seeing those very weapons the day he was put in the cell. He looked at her skeptically, wondering how such a small thing could be more dangerous. “Well, I do not have a...gun. I have a sword. I am good with daggers and swords. I am good enough that I train others.” Seeing as she still did not look convinced, he reiterated, “I am nothing without my sword, and I will serve no purpose.”

She looked at him, debating whether or not to give in. “OK, I will talk to my partner about this. For now, bring it, but you have to leave it in my car while we are eating. No weapons are allowed in most buildings here unless you’re a cop like me.”

He finally acquiesced. “Very well.”

Charlie gave him a big smile. “Great! We are agreed. Ready to go?”

“Aye.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie and Vilkas made it to the coffee shop almost unscathed, much to his relief. Vilkas was still getting car sick, though he did like how quickly it helped them to reach their destination, the sooner he went back to horseback riding, the better. 

Since Illia and Oz had not arrived yet, Charlie got them all a table and went to order everyone some drinks and food.

“Here, try this. It may be too strong for you, but it will wake you up a bit,” Charlie said, when she came back, handing him a cup of coffee rich with sugar and cream to soften the acidity and kick.

Vilkas took a tentative sip of the hot liquid, and while the flavor was robust, it did not taste too bad. “What is this called?”

“Coffee and I put some sugar and cream in it for you.”

Vilkas shoved his coffee back to her. “I need to stay alert, and moon sugar is a drug and illegal where I come from.”

Charlie looked at him with combined amusement and wonderment. “Sugar is an illegal drug? Well, I don’t know if moon sugar and our sugar are one and the same, but our sugar doesn’t cause the effects as other drugs do. Too much may make you gain weight, but small doses does nothing. It’s only meant to enhance flavors of certain foods like deserts. Go on...it’s quite safe to drink, I assure you.”

Vilkas took it back and sipped some more as a server came by their table and brought them some breakfast. 

“I bought you a toasted bagel, which is a type of bread with some eggs, ham, and cheese. It’s hardy and should make you feel well-fed for a while.”

It smelled good as he sniffed it and took a bite, smiling, quite pleased. “I...I know you do not have to do all you are doing, but I want you to know I appreciate you taking me in and feeding me. You are...kind. I already feel like a freeloader, and I am not used to not carrying my weight. I have gold I can give you.”

“Don’t worry about it. You were in need, and you are important to our case. I don’t help just anyone because I can’t afford to, but I like doing things for the benefit of others. I became like this after...” She stopped herself as Vilkas didn’t need to hear her life story.

“After what?”

She waved him off, looking away then absently rubbed her scar with a finger as she was prone to do. The memories were still painful even though it happened years ago. “It..it doesn’t matter.

“It looks like it matters.”

Charlie gave him a slight but sad smile. “You’re right; it matters...a lot. But I don’t know you well enough to talk about such things.”

He pointed to her face. “Does it have to do with that scar?”

 _Aren’t you the observant one_. “As I said, I don’t want to talk about such things.”

“I see. Well, I will extend to you the same courtesy you gave me last night...if you ever want to talk...”

“I appreciate that.”

“You are welcome.”

The door to the coffee shop opened, and Vilkas turned to see Illia walk in wearing strange clothes the people of Earth wear. They looked pretty on her, and she looked good in red. He stood up and went to give her a tight hug, relieved to see her, and that she was OK. Illia hugged him back and smiled at him. They barely knew each other, but they were now bound together on this mission.

“I am glad to see you are alright, Vilkas.” She looked him up and down, seeing the dark circles in his eyes for lack of sleep and stress. She was sure he had been struggling but was grateful the woman took care of him. It could have gone badly for him had she not.

“Aye, I am very pleased to see you are as well.”

Vilkas looked up as the large Redguard man walked in the shop. He knew there were no Redguards here, but he had no other description for him. He was as tall as Vilkas, but much leaner compared to Vilkas’ muscled bulk.

The Redguard held out his hand to him. “You must be Vilkas. I have heard so much about you. You can call me Oz.”

Vilkas looked down, unsure of what to do, and then realized he probably should grasp it. “A pleasure, Oz. Thank you for taking care of Illia.”

Oz just nodded at him and waved his hand back to the table for them to all sit down.

Illia sat down next to Vilkas while he peppered her with questions.

“What happened to you? Why did we not go through the portal together?”

“Well, I have a theory about that, and it is something our friends here should know as well, for it may affect us all. I believe the Eye of Magnus holding the portal open from our realm is disrupting this one. Creating multiple portals in the area.”

“What does that mean?” Charlie asked, uncertain about what she was talking about.

“Well, the Eye of Magnus is what opened the portal along with a staff that is used to maintain it, as I explained to Oz. There is a special and magical scroll that was used to send whoever went through the portal to be sent to a different timeline. Without the staff to keep it stabilized, the Eye is eventually going to cause fractures of time and space. This portal is what Vilkas and I used to get here.”

Charlie was skeptical. “Fractures of time and space? I mean, we discussed such things in physics, but it’s only conjecture, a hypothesis at best. I...I find it hard to believe that some object could magically wipe us out.”

“I have to agree with my partner if I had not seen what you could do, Illia. It was truly amazing.” He looked over at his partner. “You know me, Charlie. You know I’m a fairly practical man with a healthy dose of skepticism. But I saw what she could do. There was no logical explanation for it.”

“No, Oz. There is a perfectly logical explanation for it. Your world, like ours, has always been filled with magic. Your people just forgot long ago, though I am certain you still have a few who tap into it. We use it all the time where Vilkas and I are from. It is a very long and drawn-out explanation of how the realms work, but I am not certain how much of that sort of detail you need.”

Charlie believed their story for the most part, but magic was a bit much for her, though if Oz believed... Surely there has to be more of a rational explanation for all this. “OK, well, let’s put that aside for now and focus on our more immediate problem...the killer. He’s still out there, and he’s going to kill again.”

Illia nodded at the woman. “Indeed, we will solve both problems of the murders and portals once we catch him. He must have the staff on him. We have to have that staff.”

Vilkas finally spoke up, looking at all of them. “There is also the problem of not knowing what he looks like. We already know what he wants and what he is trying to do and going to do, but it is all moot if we cannot find him.” He looked at Illia. “You scryed that one time at Jorrvaskr. Do you think you can do it again to find him?”

She shrugged, picking at her bagel sandwich. “I am uncertain. I did it when I fell through the portal easily enough, and for some reason, my visions are clearer here than from Nirn, yet it is harder for me to pull the Magicka. I can try it, but I do not know what I am looking for, and he could have wards up to protect himself.”

“Maybe, but he also does not know we came through to follow him. He may believe he is protected here because no one is supposed to know, so there may be no wards,” Vilkas offered, feeling more awake from the coffee.

“You could be right,” Illia nodded in agreement. “That could give us an advantage. Very well, as soon as I am able, I will scry with the bowl I still have.”

Oz finally spoke up after listening to the two figure things out. “Alright, now that we have at least something planned, we need to meet up at the department and go over the case, see if there is something we might have missed and I would like for Illia to go to the morgue and look at the bodies. What you say, _you_ may believe, but we have to make sure it’s not something else altogether. We can’t leave one stone unturned.

Charlie, please take Illia to look at the bodies, and I will take Vilkas here to help him fit in here with some new clothes, and I will take their gold to exchange for cash...if I can even do that.”

Vilkas suddenly stood up and lightly grasped Charlie’s arm as she was standing to leave. “No! I...I mean...please...uhm…I am sorry.” He quickly let her go, recognizing his desperation, embarrassed by it.

Oz looked at the man strangely while Charlie could see nervousness, embarrassment, and slight fear in those strange silver eyes. She could tell he needed to say something but was struggling with discomfort on top of it. _The man was perpetually blushing._ Looking at her partner, she raised a finger to give her and Vilkas a minute to talk.

“Let’s talk outside for a minute, Vilkas.”

He followed her out feeling like a fool...a weakling, but he could not help himself. While his wolf was not constantly snarling at him, that did not mean he was not affected. He had already grown attached to her in a short time—feeling safe. Even his beast was calm around her. He knew part of the problem was his beast, but he could not tell her that. Just like he could not tell her, his running hot was because of his beast as well. He was tolerant of the cold, but that was not why his body ran warmer than most.

“Alright, what’s going on, Vilkas. You getting attached because I helped you?”

He laughed humorlessly, running a nervous hand through his mussed hair. “You are a smart one. Yes, in a way. It is not just that; I feel more grounded with you around. I wish I could explain it. As I said before, I am generally not this..off. I feel almost like a child in your world. It is...frustrating. You probably think I am crazy...you would probably never believe I am a great warrior where I come from.” Vilkas looked around to see if people were watching while still running a hand through his thick hair. “Shor’s Beard, I...I have never felt so fucking weak! I...strangely relate to you or more like maybe you seem to understand me a little...it is calming.”

She listened to him, watching all these emotions cross his face. It was so strange for her as most men she ever came across, even Oz, were so stoic or reticent. This man she just met...this self-proclaimed warrior, wears his emotions and pain openly. It was so odd for her, and she was starting to realize that he wasn’t like the men she was used to. She was struggling with how to deal with him. 

“I do understand what you are going through a bit, with the nightmares and such. But Oz is a great guy, Vilkas. He would understand.”

He continued to look around warily, sighing loudly. “Aye, if that is what you wish.” He only said this to please her, but it was the last thing he wanted. He was not going to push the issue further. He just needed to suck it up. _I have fought dangerous beasts for fuck sake!_

“This isn’t about what I wish for or want. It’s about what is best for all of us and solving this case. That is what is most important.”

He nodded in understanding. He knew what she was saying, but he was struggling not to leave her side. “Aye, I understand.”

_Fuck! This guy...he’s so torn, clearly has trauma issues and clearly doesn’t want to leave my side. I get the trauma, but...crap!_

“Vilkas, I...shit! OK. I will get you sorted out with clothes, and we will meet Illia and Oz later. It’s OK. Don’t worry.” She patted his shoulder for reassurance. She had a job to do and wasn’t fully equipped to deal with someone with past trauma. She understood how his trauma surfaced, and it was reminding her of her past, which could cause some problems as well. It was why she never entered the psychology or sociology fields for work. 

_What the fuck am I doing!_

He knew he was most likely sounded idiotic, desperate, but he had to make sure she knew that he was not helpless. He could see her struggling with taking him on. “I know all this seems so odd, but know that while you are with me, I would never let anything happen to you. I would protect you in return.”

She eyed him strangely and nodded, unsure of what to say to that. She couldn’t help but feel there was more going on with him than he was letting on. That somehow they just reached some strange agreement that tied her to him.

Oz came outside finally and eyed his partner, concerned about her. “Are you OK?”

“We are fine. I am going to handle things with Vilkas here. You take Illia to the morgue if that’s OK.”

“Are you sure that is what _you_ want to do,” he asked, this time eyeing Vilkas, unsure now if she was safe.

“Yes, it’s fine. Just so you know, I am also letting Vilkas keep his sword. He doesn’t seem to be a danger with it.”

“If you think that is best, then I will back you up.”

Vilkas could see the concern in the man’s face. “I am just more comfortable with her. Please trust me that I will not let anything happen to her, nor would I ever do anything to hurt her.”

“It’s OK, Oz. Trust me.”

“Very well. See you all later this afternoon.”

Back inside, Vilkas approached Illia. “Are you OK if we separate again? I...it is strange, but this woman has a calming effect on me. I feel comfortable with her right now. Will you be fine with her partner?”

Illia knew he had been struggling and was happy he quickly found someone who could help keep him calm and focused. “Of course, Vilkas. I will be fine, and you will be too. We will meet up later, OK?”

She gently patted his shoulder as he thanked her for her understanding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Soul trapping and death


	12. Lost Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illia explains soul trapping and she discovers another murder has occurred.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, comments, and kudos! It keeps me writing and loving it! I appreciate it very much! <3

_ Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 18th, 2018 _

_ Illia _

Oz and Illia remained in the coffee shop to finish eating before heading out to the morgue. He took a slow sip of his coffee, watching Illia eat. “Is my partner safe with him, Illia?”

“Absolutely. As I told you, Vilkas has struggled since I brought up this necromancer business, but his leader insisted he would be perfect for this job.” She could tell Oz was not buying it. “Look, admittedly, Vilkas did not like who I was in the beginning. He did not trust me, and I do not blame him for that after everything he and his brother went through, but it did not take much effort on my part to get him to trust me and to rationalize with him. He fought bravely by my side, never once flinching and followed me here to Earth, knowing he may never see his brother again. He will do whatever it takes to get the job done. If he feels Charlie calms him down a bit, then he will protect her in return. He will not let any harm come to her, even from him.”

“OK, I will take your word for it.”

“Your partner, Charlie, seems OK with him and does not feel afraid. Enough so that she brought him to her own home.”

“Fair enough, you got me. For someone who was holed up for years by a bunch of witches, you sure are smart and observant,” he chuckled.

“Well, I did have to pretend I loved what I did to fool everyone, even my mother. I have good practice. Do not look at me like that. I have been very forthcoming with you, but I had to survive with my abusive mother. That was different.”

He watched Illia finish eating and felt like she was honest with him. He was a relatively good judge of character, and if she could tell him her story of killing off her mother, trusting him, then he could do no less by her. “I believe you, Illia. Ready to get going?”

She gave him a pretty smile and nodded. “Thank you, Oz.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Vilkas _

What a difference it made with Vilkas in a pair of jeans and a white graphics t-shirt, a light blue button-up but left unbuttoned and a pair of running shoes. She also bought him a pair of shorts if he got too hot with extra t-shirts. Though it was quite strange to buy him boxers and all the necessary toiletries. His thick scruff was turning into a beard. 

Vilkas stood in front of her awkwardly and stiffly. “I feel strange.”

Charlie couldn’t help but chuckle at him. “Well, if it makes you feel better, you look very handsome.”

She felt the laughter bubbling up inside her when she let it burst, after seeing Vilkas turn a bright crimson. “I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you...OK, I’m laughing at you. Oh, don’t look so surly. I’m just teasing.”

“These shoes feel comfortable though...more so than my boots and greaves.”

“Of that, I have no doubt!”

She looked at him up and down, making sure he was wearing everything correctly. She fixed the collar of his button-up and rolled up the sleeves half-way. The store clerk made sure everything else was buttoned and zipped correctly.

While she had been waiting for him to try on clothes, she had researched on her phone where to sell old gold coins for cash. She learned several businesses would buy gold for money in the D.C. area and picked one closest to them.

They didn’t cash in all his and Illia’s gold because they would need it for when they returned home, but the few the exchanged gave them both quite enough to buy food or other things they may need.

She handed Vilkas a $100 and had the same amount for Illia. “This should be enough for you for now. If we need more, we know where to go. Try not to spend it all in one place.”

“So, I assume we go meet Illia and Oz now?”

“That’s the plan.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Illia _

The morgue had such a strange smell Illia did  not recognize. She had been in crypts before, but they were filled with the stench of decay and mold. This place didn’t smell as horrible despite holding the dead.

The pretty older woman, Dr. Mia Sims he called her, opened a drawer with the body of the first victim, Jennifer Davies. Dr. Sims looked at Illia curiously, wondering how this woman could possibly figure out what happened to the victim. Even she couldn’t do that, but she trusted Oz and his judgment.

Illia cringed, looking at the body, knowing what happened to the poor woman, who was nothing but a shell and some bones. She had seen it countless times when her coven would use black soul gems, gems made to trap souls of sentient humanoids.

“As I thought...her soul has been stolen and trapped in what is called a black soul gem. In order for him to become immortal, he not only has to trap her soul in these gems, but he has to do it painfully. That is not even the worst part. The worst part is her soul remains conscious inside the gem until the gem has been used. Once used, the soul travels to the Soul Cairn where they will wander for all eternity and eventually be driven insane.”

Dr. Sims snorted at the ridiculousness of it all. “Come on. Do you seriously expect me to believe that a soul can be trapped in a gem? I heard of people who use gems for all sorts of treatments, but this is too much. There has to be another, more valid reason for this.”

Illia understood how it would be hard to believe in a world that did  not understand their own magic. “You seem to have no valid reasons, though. I do  not mean to sound condescending; I just want you to know that sometimes the unexplainable still have answers, just not always the ones you were expecting and maybe outside the realm of your beliefs. I am not asking you to believe; I am just asking you to hear me out.”

“Alright then, so why trap a soul?”

“Well, souls are usually used for enchantments. In order to trap the soul, it requires a specific spell. For example, if I want my dagger to produce ice or fire, it would have to be enchanted with a gem that already contains a soul. One can take a soul from an animal or humanoid. The larger the soul, the more powerful the enchantment. This man wants immortality. It will take a great many black soul gems to do so.”

Oz was genuinely interested in what she was saying, as odd as it all was. He knew if he were a religious man, he might have been angered by what she was explaining to him. “So how would these gems make him immortal?”

“I am not entirely sure, to be honest. It is my understanding that while a used soul goes to the Soul Cairn, it does  not happen all that often. The Ideal Masters run the Soul Cairn. They covet souls, and I do know they grant power to those who give them souls. I can imagine Salazar would have to have many, many souls to give in exchange for a power such as immortality, and not just any souls, which is why I believe there will be many deaths before this is over unless we find him.”

Dr. Sims was amazed, looking over at Oz, that he was buying into this. “Oz, you really can’t seriously believe what she is telling you, no offense. It’s right out of some horror book. There has to be another reason for this.”

Before Oz could answer, Illia spoke up. “I wish there was another reason for this. It is the worst thing that could happen to a person. Not only was she tortured and drained of all life, but her soul is aware and trapped to be used for evil purposes and eventually sent to the Soul Cairn to eventually go insane. She will be tortured for eternity.”

Oz shook his head. “Jeez, it sounds almost like our version of Hell.”

“If it sounds similar, it may be because they are one and the same. Remember, we share the same universe, in a way.”

_ Murder cases are complicated enough without adding other realms and magic into the mix _ , he thought irritably.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_ Vilkas _

Illia and Oz had not reached the office from the morgue yet, and while Charlie went off to get them some water, he walked around the large investigation room. Everything was so bright indoors with all the lighting he still could  not figure out and was too embarrassed to ask, fearing it would be beyond his understanding. 

He walked over to the large wall that had a massive map, he assumed was of the city, there were notes all over with images of the dead bodies regarding The Reaper case people have taken to calling it. He was grateful his demons were currently at bay while looking at the carnage on the wall. 

“You are a pair of fresh eyes, what do you see?” she asked, handing him a cup of cold water. She was curious to see how his mind worked.

He pointed at the top left corner. “There, those animals. Salazar will have no use for them at all if he is soul trapping. It would  not  surprise me if they are most likely practice for what is to come. The magic here feels...different.”

“Yes, that was what we were thinking...practice. What’s soul trapping?”

“Aye, that is what happened to the victims. Their souls have been drained and trapped. The soul gets trapped in a special type of gem that one can use to, say, make weapons more powerful, for example. I do  not know all the details, just the basics. I am no mage, but perhaps Illia can explain better.”

“How does one trap a soul?”

“I am unsure. I assume it would take magic...a spell to do so.”

“So, you don’t know any magic?”

“No, not in the way Illia does. I am something different...” he whispered the last part, and she wasn’t sure she heard him right. “But we of Nirn are almost all capable of it. One has to be trained for it, and some are more adept at it than others, but our realm is full of magic. I am also a Nord, and many Nords do  not always trust mages and their magic.”

“Are you one of those types of Nords?”

“In a way. I do  not hate mages, just the necromancers, for obvious reasons, but I will  not practice magic. I am a warrior through and through.”

Vilkas turned around to look at Charlie, who was sitting on one of the desks behind him. He was tired of always talking about himself and wanted to know more about her. “How about you, Charlie? What made you become a warrior?”

She smiled at the notion. “I’m no warrior, Vilkas.”

“That has yet to be seen. You look like one to me.”

She looked at him strangely, still smiling. The thought of her being so tiny and a warrior almost made her laugh.

“Well, if you must know, I didn’t always want to be a cop, if that is what you’re asking. I spent a great deal of time as an orphan. I was older, and no one wanted to adopt me...everyone wants the babies. So I traveled, foster home to foster home, and did the best I could to adapt.” She shrugged as if it were nothing. “I didn’t want to live my life in ruin, desperate, finding my way. So I worked hard in school, went to university, and graduated with honors. I did it with very little help and support, so it’s one thing I have done that I can at least be proud of. That doesn’t mean I didn’t struggle. I wanted to try and make a better world, one criminal at a time. I know it’s a thankless job and never-ending work, but I love it.”

“You made your life better after being an orphan. I can understand that. What is a university?”

“Don’t you have a school where you’re from?”

“Oh, there are some schools, but probably not the same as yours. I am self-taught. I love to read and learn. But we are talking about you right now,” Vilkas said, smiling at her, probably the first one she’s seen so far. It was genuine and not filled with anxiety and fear. 

“A university is where people go to learn beyond the basics. You have to do well in school in order to even get in.”

“Like our College of Winterhold, but that is made for mages only. So, you are smart, but I already knew that. How did you become an orphan? I understand about being an orphan.”

“Remember earlier, that little thing I didn’t want to talk about?” 

He nodded at her in understanding and looked back at the wall. “It is fine. I will not pry.”

“See anything?” Vilkas heard Oz speak out as he and Illia entered the large room.

“I see him practicing on animals and a lot of soul trapping.”

“Yes, that is what Illia said down at the morgue.”

“I am sure my partner is much more knowledgeable on such things,” Vilkas responded.

“So, what did you all learn down at the morgue, Oz?” Charlie asked.

“Well, poor Mia thinks I have lost my ever-lovin’ mind believing anything Illia here tells me. But Illia has been quite informative about soul trapping. It’s quite horrific and worse than we could ever imagine is happening to our victims. We need to find this guy and fast before there is more death. I’m just not sure what to tell the Chief, and Illia may have to prove herself once more.”

Charlie threaded her fingers through her long bangs away from her face and groaned. “Do I even want to know?”

“No, you don’t, but you should.”

Illia stepped forward to face everyone. “You all can talk about souls later. We need to find where he is hiding. Knowing him, which I do  not , I am fairly certain he would need a lot of space to hide. It is not that he needs the space; it is that he is arrogant and believes he deserves it. Most necromancers at his level that seek godhood or immortality believe they are above all others. He will not hide in some cramped house. He will want something nice, but hidden.”

_ Someplace nice, but hidden _ ? Oz pondered. A few places quickly came to mind.

“Illia, do you want to scry right now? See if you can try to find him?” Vilkas asked.

“It would not hurt.” She pulled out the bowl from her bag and filled it with water. She placed it on the table and sat down, placing her hands on either side of the bowl. “If you would not mind being quiet so I can concentrate.”

Illia cast her spell as her hands glowed and concentrated. It was the first time Charlie had seen her cast a spell. It wasn’t a spell she could see, yet her hands were strangely glowing.  _ This just keeps getting weirder and weirder _ .

Illia could feel the pool of magic course through her as she quickly started to see visions in the water, but she was not sure what she was seeing. “There are trees, it is quiet, a trail...it is daylight and people walking around, but he is hidden, watching. I cannot see his face. My vision has darkened...hang on.” 

She tried to pour forth more mana through her to strengthen her vision. “Walking with a stick, elderly and slow. Enjoying the warm day.” Illia started to sweat, and her hands shook as a new vision burst forth in the waters. “Blood, screaming...he does not care who sees him, yet he is hidden. There is a lot of pain; she is old but does  not  want to die. So much blood...he has a knife, he is cutting her! She can barely scream...he removes her tongue!!! She is quickly weakening, and he needs more pain! More fear! He rips out her eyes!!!!” Illia yanked back her hands as if they were on fire. It was so fast, she fell backward to the floor as if thrown, crying.

Oz quickly went to her and picked her up. She grasped his shirt and cried into it as he held her, looking at Charlie with worry. “Shhhh, it’s OK. It’s OK.”

Once she was calmer, he sat her down and held her shaking hands on the table. “Illia, I need you to tell me exactly what you saw. I know it was painful and scary, but we need to know.”

“I could not see him or his face. But he has killed another.”

_ Fuck! I was afraid that is what she saw _ . “I guess this may be a stupid question, but has this just happened or will happen?”

“I only see the present.”

_ Shit if this is another victim, he’s moving faster and bolder. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: A killer is discovered


	13. Another Day, Another Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They find the next victim and realize Illia's visions were accurate. Salazar is caught watching the crime scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! Your support means the world! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 18th, 2018_

It was early evening when they got the call from Dispatch about another body found in Dumbarton Oaks Park. Oz and Charlie brought Vilkas and Illia with them as they all piled in Oz’s car. Oz sped through the city to get to the scene of the crime as fast as he could. Riding the back of the car was even worse than the front was for the two explorers as their stomachs reeled.

Getting out of the car, Oz told Vilkas and Illia to stay back behind the crime scene tape. He wanted to make sure they had all the evidence before it was trampled on. Illia was back behind the tape, but she could still see the body. While it was completely mummified, she knew it was the same victim from her vision—the elderly woman. 

“Your vision was right, Illia,” Vilkas said sadly. “Why someone so old? Would not the souls of the youth be more valuable...stronger?”

Illia thought about what Vilkas was saying and nodded. “Generally, yes, they would be stronger, but it may depend on the _type_ of soul. You make a great point, Vilkas. That is something we are going to have to look into. It is not just any human soul; it is a specific type of soul. Perhaps their aura would tell us something if they were still alive. That is the only thing I can think of that would explain the different victims.”

“How do you think we can find out about the type of aura he would need?”

“I am...un...sure…”

Vilkas looked at her as she answered so strangely. “What is wrong?”

She held up a finger. “Shhhh…”

Illia looked around. She could feel magic nearby and not just the Magicka from Earth, but from a person. It was tingly and made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She closed her eyes to concentrate and get a sense of where it was coming from. Once she found it, she turned to look, but there was nothing there, at least to her own vision, that did not mean there was not someone there. 

Vilkas looked at her in concern, wondering what was going on, but then he noticed her casting a spell.

She cast her Detect Life spell towards the area, and there it was. It was an orange shape of a man. She knew right then it was Salazar and took off running.

“Wait…” Vilkas yelled, rushed to grab his sword out of the car, and ran after her.

Charlie and Oz heard Vilkas yell out and run after Illia. _Shit_ , they both thought at the same time as they drew their guns and ran after them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He knew he was getting bolder—possibly too bold. If he was not careful, he was going to get caught, but that was part of the thrill! None of them knew enough magic, if anything at all, to stop him, but there was always a chance they could kill him with their guns, even with his best ward. He laughed at the law enforcement scrambling, trying to figure out what was happening. _Humans and their easy way of life had made them stupid and weak_.

Salazar loved the fact he would be in their history books for having the unique kills. Nothing they had ever seen before. It gave him great pride in his work. Watching was probably a mistake, but he felt so powerful that nothing could go wrong. The tall African-American, as they called them here, had that look on his face that gave Salazar great pleasure—a mixture of fear and dread. He had been watching the man for a while and knew he was capable, just not capable enough because he did not believe. 

His partner was similar in capability, perhaps more so as she continuously scanned the area looking for the killer. She knew he might be out there watching. But no one could see him with his invisibility spell. He could watch as long as he liked, and no one would be the wiser.

When Salazar watched the two Detectives exit the car and noticed two more people get out, he was curious as to why two new people were brought into the case. Were they experts? No, not experts as they were forced to stay behind. 

He watched the pretty ebony-haired young woman look around as the female detective did. She was a lovely thing, and he was going to reach out to sense her aura when he felt it—the tingling of magic reaching, searching, pulling. _She is a mage. But how can that be? There are no mages here, unless...NO, how did they find me?_ She and her partner must be from Nirn. That was the only explanation for her being a mage. He used another spell on her male friend, sensing something different from him. _Why would a werewolf also need to be here?_

It changed everything if they knew he was here and the reason behind it. He was going to have to be careful because if he could sense her, she could sense him. He needed to get back to Sunderstone Gorge and see if anything happened to his lair. He hoped they found another way in and did not disrupt his home. He _knew_ he might have been getting too bold. _Still, how could they have possibly found me or the Eye?_

He could feel her eyes on him— _Detect life_. She could see him as he started to run. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Illia! Wait, where are you going?” Vilkas yelled after her.

“It is him!” she yelled back as she kept running and using her Detect Life spell to make sure she did not lose him. It was not an easy thing keeping up the running while casting difficult spells. She was quickly getting tired

“I cannot see him!” Vilkas used his enhanced sense of smell to see if he could seek Salazar out. He could not see his target, and with all the city smells, it was hard for him to pinpoint.

“He is using an invisibility spell! Quiet now...I have to keep up my energy.”

Vilkas had his sword ready and finally caught up with Illia, following her lead. He was quickly tiring from the heat and humidity, but he would not stop even if his life depended on it. He would stick to her like bees to honey.

Charlie was the first to catch up, gun ready for anything. Her body was built for running, and she frequently ran to keep in shape and as a stress reliever.

“What the hell is going on, Vilkas.”

“Illia can see him...he is running...but we cannot see him because of an...invisibility spell...she can see him with her own spell,” he explained, out of breath.

“It’s him,” Charlie yelled back, excitedly at Oz, who was close behind.

Illia was weakening in strength and mana, but she pushed herself as far as she could. She could see him running out onto a busy road— _too many cars!_ She stopped, trying to find a way to cross as she watched him get hit by a car, rolled off the hood, and kept running. 

Oz and Charlie ran out to the street flashing badges to stop the cars as Illia and Vilkas pressed forward, hearing a thud on a vehicle, but not seeing it. It took too long to stop the traffic, so they lost him.

Illia, bent over, hands on her knees, tried to catch her breath. “I...I cannot...I have nothing left. I am...I am so...very sorry.”

Vilkas sat on the curb, sweating, also trying to catch his breath. “It is not...your...fault. You did...good.”

Oz and Charlie were used to the heat and exercise, so weren’t nearly as out of breath as Illia and Vilkas were. Oz walked up to Illia and put a hand on her bent form. “Are you OK?”

She just nodded, wiping the sweat off of her upper lip with the back of her hand. “Yes, I just wish we could have caught him...dammit!”

Charlie knelt to face Illia, who was still bent over. “Illia, can you tell us what he looked like?”

Illia shook her head and looked at Charlie with guilt. “No, I am so very sorry. He used an Invisibility spell. No one could see him. I used a Detect Life spell to know where he was. The only thing it shows me is an orange male shape...I cannot see the features.”

“How did you know it was him?” Oz asked.

“I knew it was him because I could feel him using the magic. No one else here could wield such magic. It had to be him.”

Oz rubbed his buzz cut in frustration. “Shit! No, don’t look so guilty. It’s OK, Illia...you did well. I’m referring to our current predicament. Let’s get back to the crime scene and wrap it up, then let’s meet for drinks and food. I don’t know about you, but I could use a beer right about now.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They finally made it to Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown by 11 pm. Fortunately, it closed late. It was one of Oz’s favorite places to go in town and has been a Georgetown icon for almost a century. The place was popular and crowded, even so late at night. Lawyers, lobbyists, college students, or anyone who worked late could head over to Martin’s and grab a good beer and a hearty meal.

The waitress looked like a college student over at Georgetown University trying to keep her tuition low. She was a cute young and bubbly blonde. “What can I getcha?”

“I will have your Shepherd’s pie with a Guinness, please,” Oz ordered.

Vilkas could not make up his mind, not knowing what the majority of the food was on the menu. Since everyone was staring at him, waiting, he ordered what Oz did.

Illia was in the same boat as Vilkas and ordered what Charlie did; the Oyster Stew and a glass of white wine.

They were all tired and quiet, thinking about the case as Vilkas looked around the Tavern. He liked it, despite all the noise and crowds. It reminded him of a little bit of home. It was comfortable and was the first time he felt truly relaxed since setting foot on Earth, especially after sipping his Guinness. It was stronger than he was used to, but he enjoyed it. “I like it here.”

Oz clapped him hard on the back. “Good man! I thought you might. Comfortable, right?”

“Aye!” Vilkas chuckled.

Charlie was glad to see Vilkas finally loosen up. She understood why he was struggling, but she was beginning to wonder if he was perpetually tightly wound. His smile turned his hard look into something kind and at ease.

Illia was sipping her wine, but she was not feeling nearly as good as Vilkas was. She had feelings of guilt as Salazar got away, possibly to kill again.

Oz looked over at her and lightly grasped her shoulder. “Hey, I see that look. Please, you cannot possibly blame yourself for this. You are the closest anyone has even gotten to him. I’m thoroughly impressed.”

“I agree with my partner here. You did well. You watched, you sensed, and you saw. It was more than any of us could have done, and if it weren’t for you, we would never have known he was watching us at the crime scenes. You put us one step ahead.”

Illia smiled a little at their reassurances, feeling a bit of relief, but still wished she could have done more. If she were stronger, she could have done something...anything. “Thank you. That helps. I was tearing apart inside that I was the one who let him go.”

“You were great, Illia. You are strong.” Vilkas said, also reassuring her.

“That means a lot, Vilkas, thank you.” She felt better with Vilkas’ words because of their previous struggles, knowing they were becoming friends.

Illia rolled the wine glass in between her hands, quiet again as she thought about how Salazar found his victims, or more like, was able to capture them without them fighting back. “I think I may know how he captures his victims without any signs of struggle.”

Charlie was particularly interested in what she had to say. She had been racking her brain, trying to figure it out. “God, I have been struggling with this. It would be nice to have some answers to something…anything.”

“Well, he would have to use spells. I think what he does is he paralyzes them. I know this paralytic spell as well. It is very, very complicated to do. So, he is an expert mage. No. That is not the right term. He is a warlock as his magic is used for more sinister purposes. I...I...struggled with that particular spell.” She rubbed her scarred hands again with memories of the switch on her hands. The harder the spells, the more she struggled. The more she struggled, the worse the beatings.

“Mother?” It was all Vilkas had to ask. 

She nodded but did not want to talk about her mother. Pushing aside the horrible memories, she continued. “After he paralyzed them, he could not very well kill them right in front of everyone. He would have to move them so no one could see his work. Now he could carry them, but he is adept enough at magic that he would use a telekinetic spell to move them effortlessly.”

Charlie sat back and chugged her wine and waved to the waitress to order another round. She was still struggling with all this magic business, but she was believing. “Seriously, he can do all that? Fuck!”

“Yes, he is very good at magic. He would have to be if he wants to soul harvest as he is. Vilkas and I were talking about that while you were looking at the dead elderly woman. Vilkas knew that the souls must be special in some way, especially since all the victims are so different. Generally, he would want more youthful souls as they are stronger, but with this elderly woman...it changed everything. Clearly, he is…”

“Choosing particular souls then?” Oz finished for her.

Illia nodded at him. “That is correct. The only thing I could think of was these victims must have a...particular aura.”

“Finally, a pattern!” Oz said in relief.

“You can also see auras?” Charlie asked, sufficiently interested.

“Yes, we can. I can see auras of all the people in this Tavern if I concentrate enough. For me, auras are not relevant, but to Salazar, they may be. The drawback is that I do not have a way to figure out what types of auras he is seeking. It is the only logical explanation...for me, at least. I know you and Oz may want to draw your own conclusions.”

Oz sat back in his chair, sipping his new Guinness. “You know, this is the farthest we have gotten in this case. I’m glad Charlie and I found you all. The difficult part is to bring all this to the Chief. He’s fucking breathing down my neck for answers, and I don’t blame him. If any more deaths occur, we are going to have a panic on our hands.”

“Well, I will be with you for whatever you need. If I need to show my proof to him, I will.”

Oz looked at her in appreciation. She seemed shy to him at first, but that wasn’t it really. She adapted well to a world she was completely unfamiliar with and very smart. Surprisingly, despite her upbringing, she was incredibly empathetic, and she felt a lot. _That is what I see...not shyness. How does someone who grew up as she did become so caring?_

“One thing I know for certain is he knows me, and possibly Vilkas, are from Nirn. He’s going to be a lot more cautious from now on,” Illia explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: attractions and near death


	14. Temptations and Dark Corners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oz has a little too much stress and a little bit too much to drink. Vilkas and Charlie find themselves in a dire situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! Keeps me writing and loving it!! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 19th, 2018_

_Illia and Oz_

“This area looks different from before. Where are we going, Oz?”

“I’m not taking you back to that dump of a safe house. My place will be more comfortable.” He had thought about taking Illia back to the safe house, but it was in a bad neighborhood, and he didn’t want to leave her alone there, especially with the killer now knowing she was here. 

“The place was fine. Where I grew up, it was terrible and always smelled of decay and was a crumbling ruin. The safehouse is royalty in comparison.”

He chuckled at the image of the safehouse being royal. “I’m not comfortable taking you back there with the killer knowing you are here. You are a potential threat to him.”

She shrugged, not caring one way or the other. “I am fine with wherever you take me, Oz.”

It was late, almost 1 am, but Oz wasn’t tired and still tightly wound from earlier in the evening. He knew he probably shouldn’t pour them another glass of wine, but he didn’t care right then. It was a long day.

Illia walked around his apartment, looking at everything from the cozy furniture to the decorations and paintings on the wall. “I like your art...it is different. Rich with color and strange shapes. I have never seen anything quite like it...not that I ever got out much.”

He handed her a glass of white wine and sipped his own, watching her look around in interest. _She really is quite pretty_. “Thanks. My sister Alicia painted them. I do find her talented, though I could be biased.”

“She does have talent. I like them. We do not have art quite like this. Mostly they are portraits or landscapes.” 

Illia walked around the room and picked up a painting of Oz with two women a bit older than him, but they looked alike, and she assumed they were related. “This is the most realistic painting I have ever seen in my life.”

Oz laughed, quickly forgetting she was still so new to his world. “They are my sisters. What you are holding is called a photograph. It’s not a painting. Here let me show you.” Oz pulled out his smartphone and turned on his camera. “Smile for me, Illia.”

Illia looked curiously at what he was doing with his phone but gave him a shy smile.

“There we go. See?” He showed her the picture he took of her on his phone.

“Is that me? Stupid question. I know it is me. I just...it is strange to see myself like this, as if I am staring into a looking glass, yet I am not moving.”

Oz had a twinkle in his eye and a crooked smile. “I can do that too.”

Illia barked a laugh. “No, that is OK. Seeing myself in a, uh...photograph is strange enough.”

Oz brushed away some hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, looking at her pretty cerulean blue eyes. “There is nothing strange about you.” He knew he was becoming attracted to her—this interesting woman who could wield magic. It wasn’t just because she was pretty, but she was smart and had survived unimaginable hardships to come out of it with kindness and empathy. She went to another realm to fight evil on her own, as a civilian.

It was hard for Oz to find women to have something serious with. He could get a date easy enough, but eventually, the women tired of his late hours, always on call, him not spending enough attention to them. When he did find a woman, and he needed to talk about particularly hard cases to get it off his chest, they couldn’t take the negativity and would leave. He got tired of the same arguments, so he quit looking, hoping the right woman would one day find him.

Illia looked up at the tall man, instinctively inching closer to him. She had been with men before, but in secret, so her mother never found out. Her mother stupidly believed she was still a virgin, even at 28 years old. It was little things like that she did to rebel against her mother and maintained her sanity. Illia would find herself a man whenever her mother let her out of the tower on some quest. Still, it did not happen very often, and now she was finding herself with a whole big world to do what she wanted to do. However, she did miss the touch of a man— _delicate touches on her face with rough fingertips, fist-fulls of hair to pull her neck back for kisses along her throat, awkward moments struggling to remove clothes._

She could feel her face burn, not from embarrassment, but in anticipation when he tucked away her hair, knowing right then he was becoming interested in her more than just a case. 

“Are you married, Oz?” Illia whispered, suddenly wanting to know.

“I am not. I...have a hard time finding women to be with.”

“I find that hard to believe, Detective. You are...quite attractive.”

He inched closer to her as well, looking down, smiling, wanting to touch her. “Well, they don’t like my job very much.”

“I like your job…”

He reached out to touch her face, wanting to see if her skin felt as smooth as it looked, watching her waiting for him to do just that as she closed her eyes. _Shit! What are you doing, Detective? You can’t think about her like this. She’s part of your case._ He quickly withdrew his hand and stepped back, rubbing his neck in embarrassment, feeling himself blush out of guilt for leading her on. “I...I’m sorry. Uhm, we should get some sleep. It’s very late. Let me show you to your room.” _Damned alcohol_ , but he knew it wasn’t just the alcohol.

Illia could not hide her disappointment. Even if it was just a one-time thing, she missed intimacy. She would have been OK had he wanted to touch her, but clearly, he became uncomfortable and flustered with the whole scenario. She was not going to push him — hopefully _, some other time._

She followed close behind him to a sparsely furnished room, yet it looked very comfortable. “Please let me know if you need anything. My room is just across the hall here.”

She faced him, inching closer again, hoping to change his mind, looking up at his lovely amber eyes. “Thank you, Oz.”

Oz coughed, not from being uncomfortable, but to distract himself from her. He knew if she pushed, he would give in...he wanted to give in. “Uhm, you’re welcome...goodnight.” He quickly left before he got in trouble.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Vilkas and Charlie_

Oz offered to drive them back to Charlie’s apartment, but she wanted to walk off the dense food and alcohol, despite the late hour. It was only ten blocks away, and a cool front must have moved in as the air wasn’t nearly as heavy and humid.

The air was bearable, and Vilkas was pleased to finally not be sweating and felt good to be full of Guinness and food. He felt almost normal. It had been quite a few trying days, and he was glad that maybe he was starting to adapt, though he knew that was in part because of Charlie. There was something about her that helped keep him calm—kept his beast at bay. He was grateful that she stayed by his side.

“You have a brother, right? A twin?” Charlie asked out of the blue, snapping him out of his reverie.

“Aye, he is my identical twin.”

“Shit, there are _two_ that look like you?” Vilkas was handsome, and to know there were two of him out there—naughty thoughts filled her alcohol-induced brain. She never really cared about such things before. She usually chose men who were intelligent and could make her laugh, and certainly less broody, though they were few and far between. Vilkas wasn’t the funniest man she had ever come across, if at all, but he was certainly intelligent.

Vilkas looked at her strangely from her comment. “Aye, there are two of us.”

Charlie blushed and laughed nervously, embarrassed for her naughty thoughts, feeling like a stupid hormone-filled teen. _Stop being so stupid, Charlie. You’re smarter than this._ Though sometimes, it was nice to act silly when one was expected to be smart all the time.

Vilkas smiled back, not knowing exactly what she was giggling at. “What is so funny?”

“It’s...nothing. Sorry,” she responded, trying to stifle the laughter by clearing her throat.

“Will you now tell me something about yourself? I am tired of always talking about myself. You know my life story virtually, and I know nothing about you.”

That sobered up Charlie a bit and found herself frowning. “There isn’t much to tell. You already know I was an orphan, and I worked my way through university.”

He gently grabbed her arm and stopped her. “You clearly do not like talking about yourself. Why?”

She was silent for a long while, debating how to respond. “Fine! Like you, I was faced with my own trauma. I don’t like to talk about it. Years of therapy didn’t take away the pain or...guilt, and every time I think about it...I…”

“I did not like talking about mine either, but you know my story anyway. You know my pain. I know now, because of you, I did not have to face it alone as I had for all these years of bottling it all up. You do not have to either.”

Charlie looked up at him, uncertain. She suddenly looked away nervously because she wasn’t used to talking about herself, and it was still a painful story. The only person who knew her true, full story on a personal level was Oz, and he never judged her for it. She wanted to tell Vilkas, but not only didn’t she know him well enough, but she didn’t want him to think differently about her for some strange reason. 

_But he’s right; he told me his whole story openly and honestly. Can I do no less? Is that fair if I don’t tell him? Do I really owe him that? No, I don’t._

“You will look at me differently…,” was all she said, looking down at her feet, trying to avoid his eyes because they felt like they penetrated her very soul in their glowing brightness.

“I doubt that. I do not know how I could see you differently after everything you have done for me. I know you did not have to help me, but you chose to. You are a good person, and it seems like you doubt that.”

She could feel her eyes water with his words, knowing how close to the truth he came. “I...I can’t...I’m sorry.”

Vilkas sighed, knowing she probably had as much pain as he did, and he knew then why she so understood with him and his own pain. “It is OK. I understand. Come on, let us get back to your place.”

She was about to say something to him when they found themselves suddenly being surrounded by five cruel-looking men in a variety of shapes and colors...probably some small gang or a group of bored thugs. 

An angry-looking, dirty blonde-haired man, covered in tattoos all over his body and face approached them, gun drawn. “Well, look at what we have here, boys. A cute young and innocent couple out so very late at night and so very stupid.” 

Vilkas instinctively went to pull his sword out the scabbard when Charlie stilled his arm with her hand. “Don’t; we cannot kill them unless it’s self-defense. It’s against the law.”

His brows furrowed in confusion. “The law is useless if one cannot defend themselves. It looks like they will kill us if we do not do something. I say it is self-defense.”

“Please trust me on this, Vilkas,” she whispered. He grudgingly sheathed his sword, per her request, not taking his eyes off the men surrounding them. He would be ready should something happen.

She pulled out her gun and pointed it at the tattoo-covered man. “Put the gun down now, hands on your head where I can see them and get on your knees. You are under arrest for the attempted assault and threatening violence of a police officer.”

They all laughed at her, not caring if she was a cop or not. She knew they wouldn’t care, but she had to stick with the law. There wasn’t much she could do until they attacked her or Vilkas. 

Vilkas could feel his anger building with their laughter, knowing it was aimed at Charlie.

Tattoo man had his gun aimed at Charlie, still laughing. “Do you really think you, little thing, with your gun, can stop all of us, even with your own personal BigFoot over there?”

“What do you want,” she asked pretending to be bored, though in part she was seething in anger that they had the nerve, the other part of her felt the ever-familiar tingling of fear in her stomach, knowing they had the numbers to kill her and Vilkas...or worse. She had to control herself and use her police training, not instinctively lash out.

“Thank you for asking!” he said, in mocked politeness. “Well, we would like that little gun of yours, his lovely sword, and all of your money. Then I think my friends here would love a piece of you as well. You look fit and quite tasty.”

Vilkas snarled at the man, ready to kill him with the first threat of rape directed at Charlie. “You touch her; you will be dead where you stand.” He could feel his beast inside, the strongest he had felt it in days, angry with him for not letting him out to slaughter these men. _No, I cannot...the people here will not understand. Charlie will not understand. Stay!_

Tattoo man kept his gun trained on Charlie and shrugged. “Perhaps, but not before I kill her.”

Charlie looked at Vilkas as he tried to protect her, and she could have sworn his eyes changed or flashed a golden color. Doubting what she saw, she drew her attention back to the Tattoo man. “And, if you come near me, you will be instantly shot.”

The man scoffed at her and shot her in the shoulder before she could call for backup and gain the upper hand, not giving a shit she was a cop.

Charlie cried out in pain as she was shot. She had been shot once before, recognizing the searing pain as the hot bullet penetrated her left shoulder and felt it burst out the back. The pain was excruciating, but she refused to drop to the ground. Her arm hung limply as she fired her gun at tattoo man, but he was no longer there as Vilkas grabbed the man in the air and threw him down on the ground, kicking him in the ribs, growling. So, she fired at the next man quickly approaching Vilkas, killing him.

As the pain spread through her arm and she was quickly losing blood, she did end up on her knees as she watched Vilkas tear through the men like they were rag dolls, not even needing a sword. Her vision was starting to blur, and she wanted to go to sleep for a while. _Just a little bit of rest would feel so good right about now_.

After the third man dropped like a sack of potatoes, Vilkas felt strong arms wrap around his body, trying to lift him off of his feet while another approached him to beat the shit out of him, but they were no match for Vilkas as he broke loose. All his years of training with the Companions and wielding a very heavy great-sword left him quite strong. He was more worried about the beast trying to get out while he was fighting these assholes. It was taking all his control to keep it inside while he fought.

One of the men managed to break Vilkas’ nose, but all that did was enrage him as he lifted the smaller man over his head and slammed him down to the ground, possibly breaking his back. The last man standing, Vilkas just beat the crap out of him with his fists, eventually snapping some fingers from striking him so hard and finally stopping when the man was a bloodied pulp. Ignoring the pain, he wanted to slaughter them all—rip them to shreds as he felt his beast nip at his mind in anger and hunger. _Feed me; he_ could hear it growl.

Vilkas gripped his hair on his head tightly, even with broken fingers yelling at his beast in his head. _Stop! Stay back...out of my head! She will not understand! She will not understand! She will not understand!_ He breathed the way he used to with his brother and with Charlie to calm himself down—calm his beast. Slowly, as the air hit his lungs, and he exhaled slowly, he started to feel better. 

Once he felt he would not rip anyone else to shreds, he ran over to Charlie, who was lying on the ground, looking quite dead—blood was everywhere. _No, no, no...I told her I would protect her!_

“Charlie! Charlie!” He felt around for her pulse, worried he would find nothing, fear, and adrenaline coursing through his veins. Feeling a pulse, he tried to wake her up. “Charlie! Wake up! No sleeping...You must wake up!”

He was so wound up fighting his beast and emotions pouring through him after seeing her shot; he almost sobbed out in relief when he saw her flutter her eyes open. “Yes, wake up...we need to get you help.”

Charlie weakly nodded, groaning in pain. “Urgh, why did you...wake me...I was having a lovely dream of...twins…”

“This is no time for jokes...what do you need me to do?”

“My phone…”

“I do not know how to use a phone! How do I get you help?! I have medicine in my bag you can have, but I do not know where your apartment is.”

“No, get my phone. I can...call.”

Vilkas pulled out her phone out of her back pocket and handed it to her. He pulled off his new button-up shirt and tied it around the wound to stem the flow of blood while he sat down and held her upright against his chest. 

She slowly dialed 9-11. “This is Detective Charlie...Adams. Officer down, me...shot at 25th and K. Need...backup...ambulance. Criminals are down and need...medical treatment. I’m...I’m going to GWU Hospital...close by.” She hung up and looked up at Vilkas, who was holding her. She could see the worry and panic in his eyes as she looked at his bleeding and swollen nose. “They hurt you…”

“I am fine. We need to worry about you.”

“I need you to help me up...the...hospital is only a couple of blocks away...close.”

He was not sure what a hospital was, but trusted her that she knew what she needed. Vilkas stood up and did not wait for her to stand as he deftly picked her up, following her instructions, and carried her to the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Vilkas blames himself for Charlie and Charlie reveals more about herself.


	15. Line of Duty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Charlie is in recovery, Vilkas refuses to leave her side. She decides to finally tell him her own personal tragic story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings of parental and child death.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! It keeps me motivated and happy! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 19th, 2018_

It was 4 am by the time Oz and Illia arrived at the hospital. They could see Vilkas in a chair with black and blue eyes, a bandage on his nose, and tape around his fingers, binding them. Illia quickly ran to his side, looking him over, seeing him covered in blood. She was about to cast her spell to heal him before Oz gently grabbed one of her hands.

"No, not here. The people here won't understand."

"I am not doing anything crazy like atronachs...I am just healing him. I can do this subtly."

As Oz was pondering what she was saying, Vilkas spoke up. "No, I will be fine. I heal quickly. Save it for Charlie."

Oz peppered him with questions, worrying about his partner. "Where is she? Have they said anything to you yet? What happened exactly?"

They could see the stress and worry in his eyes, despite them being swollen and bruised. "They said something about surgery. They were fast to attend to Charlie, and they asked me a lot of questions about her that I did not know. You may want to give them her information. But she has been in...this surgery for a couple of hours."

"How did she get fucking shot, Vilkas? I thought you said you wouldn't let her get hurt!"

Vilkas found himself getting angry and defensive, wanting to lash out at the man since he was already stressed. He was filled with guilt as it was, and to have Oz outright blame him for Charlie was too much. "Well, since I do not have a fucking gun or even know how to use one, and that she refused to let me protect her with my sword, she took it upon herself to do the protecting! There were five of them and their leader did not hesitate to shoot her. She was shot in the shoulder, but she managed to shoot one of them...I think she killed him. I may have killed one or two with my hands, I am unsure...I was so angry when they threatened to rape her and then shot her."

Oz softened at the man. He didn't mean to take his stress and worry out on Vilkas, feeling his own guilt for not insisting he drive her home. It would be like Charlie to protect him instead and follow the law. "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to take it out on you. I know they would have eventually killed her if you were not there."

Vilkas sat there moodily, still stung by Oz's words despite his apology as Illia grabbed his injured hand and secretly healed it. He tried to pull away, but she held firm. "I have enough for Charlie too." She did not cringe, hearing the bones reset in his hand and fingers, and he did not even flinch from the pain. After a few minutes, his hand was good as new.

He moved his fingers, wiggling them around. "Thank you."

She moved to touch his nose, but he held her back. "No, thank you. They will wonder why I am fully healed after treating me. It will be obvious. I am fine...really. I heal quickly."

"Are you OK? I mean besides being injured," she asked.

"Aye. I was getting angry at the violence of this realm, quickly forgetting how violent Skyrim can be. I just have strong feelings of guilt I could not stop them from shooting her and angry I could not help her more."

"I am sure she will be OK."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vilkas was nodding his chin into his chest, having fallen asleep from exhaustion, lightly snoring from his swollen nose, while Illia was trying to stifle a yawn, wanting to stay awake for Oz.

"You can sleep if you want. I know you're tired. It's not very comfortable here, so if you want to lean on me, you can."

She nodded and did just that, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry about earlier tonight, Illia," he whispered.

"Sorry for what?"

"You know...my behavior. I shouldn't have done that. We are working together, and it was unprofessional."

"Done what exactly? Brushed my hair out of my face? Yes, that was so terrible of you," she joked, stifling another yawn.

He chuckled. "Well, now that you put it that way, I see your point."

Oz thought she had finally fallen asleep when he heard her speak. "I would not have stopped you," she said groggily, yawning again.

He laughed under his breath and shook his head. _Oh, she's going to cause me so much trouble_. He didn't know what possessed him, but he adjusted her to wrap an arm around her as she curled up her legs on the hard sofa and leaned into him more comfortably.

All of them were dozing when a short, balding older man in surgical scrubs came up to the group and coughed to get their attention.

Vilkas bolted upright as if he were not asleep at all, but all of them ended up standing to hear what the doctor had to say.

"Detective Adams will be fine. The surgery took a while due to the damage from the exit wound. She's also finished with Post-Op Recovery. You can see her when you want, though she will be sleeping."

All of them thanked the doctor and headed to Charlie's room, who was still sleeping, as the doctor indicated.

"Illia, heal her...please. I know you can heal her quickly."

Illia stepped up to Charlie to do just that when Oz held her back. "I would love nothing better than to have Charlie fully healed and recovered right now, but they will question how she healed so fast. A bullet wound takes quite a bit of time to heal. Let's get her out of here first...let them release her, and then you can do that if that is OK with you, Illia."

"Can we not just take her home now?" Vilkas asked.

"No, they will have to release her. They want to make sure there are no post-surgical complications, and infection doesn't set in before they do that."

"You and Illia should go and get some sleep. You still have a case to work on. I will stay with her. I am not much use to the case anyway."

Illia put a hand on Vilkas' shoulder. "You are a great use. You have come up with ideas I did not think of. You are valuable too."

He did not care. He was not about to leave Charlie's side. "Still, someone needs to stay with her."

"OK, I will be back later today to relieve you," Oz said.

"I am not leaving until she does. You all go and do what you need to do."

Oz could see the guilt Vilkas still carried with him from Charlie getting injured and regretted his harsh words to him earlier. "You need to stop beating yourself up over this."

Vilkas waved a hand at them. "Go get some rest, both of you. You know where I will be should you need me."

Illia pecked a chaste kiss Vilkas' cheek. "See you soon, then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It must have been his snoring that finally woke her up. Charlie looked over at the window to see Vilkas sprawled out awkwardly between two cushioned chairs sleeping. The furrowed brows an indication of uncomfortable and restless sleep, and she wasn't about to wake him up.

She tried to move, but the pain in her shoulder was almost unbearable as it spread down her arm and through her back. Biting her bottom lip to keep quiet, she pressed the button on the bed to raise her. She needed some water and couldn't drink it lying down. Charlie cringed when the bed made too much noise knowing it would probably wake up Vilkas. Looking over at him, she was relieved to see he was still sleeping.

Finally able to reach her water, she sipped it in relief, her parched mouth finally refreshed, washing away the horrible taste that had gathered there. Grabbing her phone from the table, she texted Oz to let him know she was awake and fine. To not bother with her and work the case.

Rolling over on her right side to relieve the pressure from the back of her left shoulder, she watched Vilkas sleep and looked back on what happened last night. _He didn't lie. He promised to protect me and he did. I would be dead if he had not been with me_. She knew he was strong, but didn't know the extent of it when she saw him beat the shit out of those criminals. If he was that strong without weapons, she couldn't imagine how deadly he would be with his sword. 

Vilkas sensed someone watching him, for he quickly woke up, his hair standing on end on one side of his head, hearing bubbling laughter from across the room.

"Nice hair," she chuckled. She hurt, but it felt good to laugh.

Vilkas just grunted and tried to brush it down with his fingers unsuccessfully and rubbed his eyes with the balls of his hands. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I was shot, is how I feel. It hurts...a lot."

"Not for long. When we finally get you out of here, Illia will heal you the rest of the way. She is very good at it. I was shot on the way over here with a large shard of ice and she healed me quickly. You will be good as new soon."

"Isn't that handy… I think every hospital should have an Illia," she deadpanned.

"You like to make jokes a lot, but this is serious, Charlie. You almost died."

"I didn't almost die...you were there."

She watched him in his worry, seeing the guilt in his eyes. For such a strong warrior, he sure was emotionally expressive. She didn't know if it would be hard to deal with or refreshing. "Please don't tell me you are feeling guilty over what happened."

"Aye, and why should I not?"

"Because it wasn't your fault, you protected me and carried me to the hospital. You did as you promised, not that you even owed that to me. No guilt needed."

Vilkas stood up and stretched upwards, hearing his spine crack, muscles sore from sleeping awkwardly in the chairs. 

He looked terrible from the lack of sleep, stress, and still covered in blood. His t-shirt was lifting off of his muscular abdomen from his long stretch, seeing the hairline trailing between…

_Stop it, Charlie, how can you possibly think of such things while in pain?_

"You want anything to eat? Can I get you something?"

She waved him over to her. "Just sit with me."

Vilkas sat down on the bed next to her. He tried to be careful not to sit on the strange tentacles coming out of her arm. It looked like it hurt, but she did not seem to mind.

She pointed to his nose. "Is that what Illia did? Heal your nose?"

Vilkas tentatively touched his nose, forgetting that it would not take long for him to heal. "No, I...just heal very fast. Illia did fix my broken fingers, though."

She looked at him strangely, not understanding how someone could heal that fast. "Heal fast, indeed. Did they do that to your hand too? I'm so sorry."

"Yes, one of them broke my fingers with his face," he said, giving her a mischievous smile.

That made her smile in return. "Good."

"I told you, you were a warrior," he said out of the blue.

She didn't know what to say to that. She certainly didn't feel like a warrior.

There was a long period of awkward silence, unsure of what to say to each other. Vilkas wanted to do something; hold her—anything, but he remained still, not saying anything. 

"I was 11 when it happened."

He pointed to her face and her scar. "When that happened?"

She nodded. "Yes, it was from a car accident. It's not my only scar, just the one most visible." He watched her face as her eyes almost glazed over lost in memories, quiet, waiting for her to continue.

"It was my fault, you know, for the accident. We were driving from the small town of Middleburg, Virginia where we lived...not too far from here, to a beach in Florida for vacation. My sister, who was 8 at the time, was in the backseat with me. My sister and I were fighting; I can't even remember what it was about anymore...some stupid toy. I was a selfish child...bratty. Always fighting with my sister, jealous of her…"

He watched as Charlie's lip quivered and eyes filled with tears, almost feeling her pain. "Please, stop. I can tell something bad happened and it is still affecting you. You do not need to go on."

"I want to. I think you would understand...maybe. I don't know; maybe you will be disgusted by me…" She took a deep breath, wiping away the tears, and pushed forward with her story.

"It was almost 20 years ago, and I still feel like it was yesterday, though I can barely remember their faces anymore. My sister and I were fighting, and Mom was trying to get us to settle down so Dad could focus on driving, but I wouldn't listen. I was the oldest and I should have listened, but I ignored her and kept fighting with my sister. I yanked the toy out of my sister's hand...I can't even remember what it was anymore. That's the worst part, not remembering all the things I should. I threw it in the front of the car. All I cared about was that she didn't get to have it. It was a hard toy, and it hit the windshield...window, cracking it. It caused Dad to swerve and lose control of the car. We flipped several times as other cars crashed into us on the highway. My parents died instantly. My sister and I were still alive in the back, but both of us were crushed, legs were broken. 

I had to listen to my sister for what seemed like ages crying, though I'm sure I was crying too...watching her bleed to death before the rescue workers even arrived...the silence was even worse than her crying. I wanted to hold her hand, but I was trapped. I would give anything to hear her cry again. It took several rescue workers to get us out. I almost died that day myself, but they saved me on time, but I wish I had been killed with them...died with my family. I killed my whole family over a fucking toy!"

Charlie sobbed into her pillow. It was the one thing in her life she would never get over until the day she died. When she calmed down, she finished her story. "When I fully recovered, the few remaining family members wanted nothing to do with me...hated me. No one wanted to take care of me after what I did, so I was shoved into an orphanage with no hopes of ever being adopted. I changed my life that day...vowed to work the hardest I have ever worked, to succeed and do good in this world. It was either that or fall into despair and kill myself. I have to find value in my life, or else I have nothing...no reason for being."

She reluctantly looked over at Vilkas, not wanting to see the disappointment in his face, but she couldn't have turned away had she tried. He was so quiet for so long, looking, watching her. His intense silver eyes gazed so deeply into her, and she wondered if he would hate her after what she just told him.

"I can see how this tortures you, and I understand now why you were reluctant to tell me. This is a big part of your life and you barely know me. Thank you for trusting me with this."

She was waiting for it. "But…"

"No 'buts.' You were just a child, Charlie. You did not do this intentionally. Children act up all the time. I see it where I am from as well. It is what children do and no child is obedient all the time. Yes, you may have been the cause, but it was still an accident. You did not intend it. I know no matter what I say, you will always blame yourself. I know how that feels. But just know that I do not see you differently if that is what you are worried about. You have done all you can to be a good person and it shows. You care deeply. I do not think I would have survived here had you not snapped me out of it...helped me. You could have easily given up, yet you chose to do good in this world. You are not a disappointment."

Charlie just cried with his last words, grateful he didn't tell her it wasn't her fault, and she should move on. She didn't know why she cared so much about his opinion. She barely knew the man, but she related to him with his own personal trauma...connected to him somehow. Relief washed over her with his words. He was right; it didn't change her view of herself, but hearing his words made her feel better that she will not always be hated for what she had done, and maybe there will be those who will care about her.

When she settled down, she found she couldn't look at his face anymore and dragged a finger through his bloodied t-shirt. "We have to get you new clothes again."

"We can worry about that later. It does not matter." 

He grabbed her hand off his chest and kissed her knuckles. "I think you should get more sleep. The quicker you get better, the faster we can get you out of here and properly healed. I will be back with some food and drinks for us."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Nothing more disturbing that through the eyes of a murderer.


	16. The Eyes of a Murderer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salazar's point of view as he stalks and kills his prey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, there is sexual content, graphic violence, and murder.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! It is greatly appreciated! It keeps me writing and loving it! <3

_t Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 23th, 2018_

Salazar had been furious his lair was found, and his minions all slaughtered. He knew he should have paid more for qualified mages. They clearly could not handle anyone who broke in. It must have been that female mage and her werewolf, though he was glad to know the Eye had not been disturbed. If it had, there would be no way to return back and forth to each realm. The mage woman was also surprisingly strong enough to break his ward at Sunderstone Gorge, but she was not nearly as strong as him. 

_It changes nothing. They still do not know who I am. The young woman may have been able to figure out what I am doing and why, but not who I am. I have to keep going forward, but I am going to have to handle things differently._

Salazar was tired of hiding in dark corners, looking for prey. He was striving for immortality. Despite needing to keep a lower profile, he wanted, no, desired for his chosen ones to see his face. _Gods do not hide like cowards!_ Despite him nearly getting caught, he knew that the police still did not know what he looked like. So, he maintained that advantage over them, but he could not put his kills on hold any longer. He needed to push forward. There were too many souls he had to harvest, 50 of them to be exact, and he only had three— _I am not getting any younger_. 

He also worried about the mage; she was strong if she could sense he was there the other day watching them investigate the dead old woman. He had injured his hip when he was hit by that car running from her, but a quick healing

_There may be a time I am going to have to do something about her, along with her werewolf friend._

He had showered and changed into a pair of dark denim pants, a white button-up shirt, and a tan sports jacket. Salazar had been paying attention to how men looked in the city and wanted to fit in. _Not bad,_ he thought as he looked in the large mirror that was still in the house.

The place he had chosen to live in was getting run down, but it still maintained a sense of elegance. It had been a mansion for those who lived and worked from another country but had since been abandoned. It was the perfect place to work, especially with the basement he recently discovered. Still, he could not hold the bodies for long, and he would have to find a way to dump them somewhere without being caught, but the place would be perfect for keeping even multiple victims at one time.

Making sure what he was wearing looked perfect, he took a restoration spell to his body to hide his aging. It was only a temporary fix, but it would last for most of the evening, if not, he could touch up in the bathroom. As he moved his hand around his body, he watched as he lost his gray and turned to its once dark and youthful appearance, his withered skin smoothed out, and his yellowed teeth whitened. It was the restoration spell that allowed him enough strength and energy to run the other night from his pursuers.

He knew he used to be a handsome man before age took over, and able to get any lover he wished, but that was a long time ago. That was not the reason behind his soul harvesting. He no longer cared about looks. They would be irrelevant eventually when he was finished. Looking youthful tonight only served one purpose.

Satisfied, he looked the part; he hailed a taxi to the hottest nightclub in the area. The line to get in was long, but he paid the bouncer on the sly a $100 to get in without waiting. The club was dark, filled with pink and purple flashing lights and was packed with half-naked women dancing and men brushing up behind them, hoping to get a fuck at the end of the evening. The music reverberated through his body, but he liked the power behind it. It was mindless music made to drive up the libido and get people to drink more. 

Salazar had been scoping out the humans in the nightclub, hoping for another lovely aura full of deep blues and purples. He killed the old woman and the man because they had the needed aura, but he found great pleasure with the first young woman. He was hoping to find more auras of lovely young women at the nightclub tonight.

As he was sipping on his martini, he felt someone bang into his backside. He turned around irritated to find a young little blonde thing, drunk, hoping to get his attention. “Scuse me...wanna buy me a drunk...I mean drink?” she giggled. She disgusted him and pushed her away ungracefully, watching her fall on her ass. He scoffed at her in his arrogance.

“Hey! Fuck you too, buddy!”

The perfect balance between the blues and purples of the auras were not easy to come by, which is why he chose to search on Earth. Nirn did not have nearly as many people with those specific types of auras. Salazar sipped his drink with his back to the bar and closed his eyes to help him focus through the din and throng of people. Once he opened them, he could see everyone’s auras clearly. It was the place he needed to be where a lot of humans assembled in one place.

He headed slowly and purposefully to the dance floor with a full drink in his hand where most of the humans could be found. It was full of rainbow colors emitting off of sweaty bodies, and he would have to be in the middle of it to separate all the auras from one another. He mimicked the humans dancing so he would fit in, knowing women were watching him, wanting to dance, even some of the men. 

There she is. She had a beautiful aura, and she was beautiful as well. Her hair was a lovely shimmery, ash blonde color with pale skin and bright red lips. She was giggling with friends, sipping on a beer while watching some of the men hoping they would come by to ask her to dance. He would do just that for her.

The girl watched the sexy and well-dressed man approach her and her friends, hoping he was coming over to ask her to dance. The girls were placing bets on who would find a guy first and take him home. She had grown up relatively isolated in the Midwest and wanted to explore more, especially with her body. 

Salazar stood in front of her and handed her a fresh drink, something fruity, as the girls seemed to like.

“This is for you, beautiful.”

She gave him a coy smile and sipped on it, trying to look seductive with her eyes. “Thanks.”

“I am Sal Hawkwing. What shall I call you?”

“I’m Maddy, and these are my friends…”

He cut her off before she could finish introductions. “I only care about you. Would you care to dance?”

Maddy beamed at him for showing her so much more interest than in her friends. It made her feel beautiful that such a hot guy would want to dance with her.

Holding her hand, he pulled her into the deepest part of the dance floor where she could get lost in the dancing and drinking. It did not take her long for her to start gyrating against his thighs, looking up at him in her alcohol-hazed eyes.

He slid a hand up the backside of her shirt, lightly touching her and pressed her closer to him. “You are quite beautiful,” he yelled over the loud music and smiled, watching her blush. Salazar bent down and kissed her as she inserted his tongue into his mouth. She tasted like berries and alcohol. When she pulled back, she danced while he enjoyed the swirling colors of her beautiful aura.

“I love your aura,” he said inadvertently.

“What?!”

“Nothing, my dear. Nothing at all.” He bent down again and kissed her.

After about fifteen minutes of dancing, she wanted to stop. “I’m feeling a little tired from dancing, and my head is spinning a little.”

“Would you like to go somewhere and spend some time with me? Someplace quiet?”

She looked up at him and nodded shyly, hoping to have a little fun with this hot guy. 

He effortlessly weaved his way through the crowd, holding her hand behind him until they reached outside. 

“Wait, I have to tell my…”

He dove into her face and kissed her as they entwined their tongues, gently grabbing the back of her head, lightly pulling her hair to distract her from her friends.

“I have a large house...a mansion even. I have some more drinks there, and we can get to know each other...intimately if you wish.”

She definitely wished. “OK…”

He hailed a taxi once more and had him drop them off a few blocks down from where he was living. He did not want the taxi company to be able to find him again once they came looking for the girl.

Once they were inside the house, she started kissing him again, and he returned her attentions. He finally pulled away and poured her a beer. _Maybe I can fuck her before she dies...she is quite tasty_. Chugging half of his beer, he grabbed her hand and dragged her up to the room he was sleeping in for a quick fuck. She did not question why the house was in ruin, or missing furniture or personal effects.

Bending down to kiss her faster, he started removing her clothes as she removed his. Her tits were gorgeous as he sucked on them, roughly biting her nipples as she threw her head back and moaned at his rough touches, enjoying it. It had been a long time since he had a beautiful young woman in his bed. He was old and hoped he could even get it up. 

“In bed. I will be right back.”

Heading to the bathroom, he cast his restoration spell on himself again to ensure it held, and he did it between his legs, hoping to force his cock into compliance. When he returned, Maddy was sprawled out on the bed fully naked and looking delicious, surrounded by her blue and purple aura.

It was the aura that made him hard, rather than her, and he did not waste a second as he entered her forcefully, grabbing her hair from the back of her head roughly and fucked her. “Tell me to fuck you.”

She panted in between his hard thrusts, “Fuck...me.”

“I am going to do more than just fuck you, beautiful.”

“Yes...fuck me...fuck me hard!”

It did not take him long before he spilled inside of her, not caring if she was protected or not. It would not matter in the end. He grunted loudly between each thrust as he came in her. As soon as he finished, he fell on top of her.

She was just looking at the ceiling and wondering if that was all he was going to do. “Uhm, is that it? Boring...” she complained as she tried to push him off of her.

He sat up and scowled at her. “You should be so lucky to have me inside you, bitch.”

“Hey! What the hell…”

He stood up and yanked her by her hair and off the bed as she screamed, holding his hands so he would be pulling her less by her hair and more by her hands. “Let me go!!” she screamed at him as he dragged her through the room and down the steps, body flopping and bouncing around, trying to get loose from his firm grip. Her hips slammed hard on each step as they went down.

_The nerve of her to complain. She should be honored I spilled in her. Stupid cunt!_

Both of them still naked, he dragged her to the basement and threw her on top of an old mattress covered in a plastic sheet. Before she could get up to run, he shot his paralytic spell on her, freezing her in place on the bed. He squatted down next to her, looking at her eyes as they inevitably spilled tears from fear. 

“Stupid girls should not go home with men they do not know. What did you expect, my dear?”

He chained her hands and ankles to the metal and leather cuffs he installed. He wanted to see her squirm in her pain, not be paralyzed and immobile—to _hear_ her screams instead of pleading silence. He snapped his fingers to release her and walked slowly and deliberately to his table, where he picked up the peculiar black crystal and a sharp instrument. 

“Wha...what’s going on?! Why did you hurt me...what are you going to do? Please, let me go...I...I won’t tell anyone...I...I swear! Please, I have a family who will miss me. They will look! Please!”

He ignored her pleas, having lost any empathy towards others a long time ago as he walked back to her. Squatting, he dragged a soft hand down her face, feeling her wet tears and feeling himself get hard knowing he did that to her. 

“No, my dear. You will die tonight and painfully.” 

She started to wail in fear and fought to get out of her restraints, disgusted by his erection, knowing he was turned on by her fear and crying. Her heartbeat so hard in her chest it almost hurt, and she could feel her body start to tremble, hairs standing on end from fear.

Salazar stood up to watch her squirm for a while, crying and screaming to let her loose. He was pleased he still had an erection. It had been a long time since he had fucked a girl and to still be able to get it up, and the sight of her struggles pleased him a great deal. 

“Yes, scream for me, my dear.” He stood over her and started to massage his cock, watching her tear-filled eyes stare at him in fear and disgust. Rapidly moving his hand up and down his cock, the friction slowly building up the warmth and feeling it spread as he exploded in moments all over her. Now flaccid, he was ready to do what must be done. 

“Please...please...my family will pay you! I...I swear! They have a lot of money!”

“What use do I have with money when I will have immortality?” He took one of his sharp embalming tools and dug it slowly into her belly button as he stared into her eyes, to see the transition from fear to pain. He watched her eyes squeeze shut and scream out. 

She felt the instrument dig deeper into her, making her scream as she tried to pull at her restraints, trying to get away. The pain was unbearable, panting to lessen it, but she knew there would be worse to come. He wasn’t going to let her live through this. All she could think about was ways to get out of her restraints; she didn’t think back to how stupid she was to go home with some strange man and not to tell her friends. 

Every time she screamed when he tortured her, he would cast his spell into the black soul gem. For every torture and every scream, her aura would turn blacker and blacker, exactly how he wanted it.

When she felt she was about to pass out from the pain, he would slap her face awake. All she could do was chant weakly in her head. _Please let me go. Please let me go. Please let me go_. When she thought he was finally done, she would feel more excruciating pain, causing her to scream out once again. She felt her nipples being cut off, instruments shoved inside of her between her legs, shredding her insides. Her back was slick with blood as her body slid around on the plastic. 

He was pleased with the girl he chose. She was strong, not having died yet, despite all the pain he had inflicted on her. Her beautiful aura struggled to maintain itself as it got darker and darker. 

She could feel herself weakening from blood loss and pain, wanting to die—praying for it. The girl finished screaming as her life force slowly slipped away. 

Once she was dead, and he finished casting his spell, he kissed the black crystal. The evening was pure perfection with a gorgeous aura that turned the most delicious color black when she died. He looked down at her withered husk. It was almost hard to believe she was once a vivacious and lively young woman just moments ago.

_The Ideal Masters are going to be thrilled with you, little human._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: A body, evidence, and angry police chiefs.


	17. Hard Evidence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oz and Charlie finally have to face their Chief hoping Illia could prove to him what was really happening with the murders. The Medical Examiner finally finds evidence after Salazar lost control with his last victim. Illia is done waiting on Oz to make a move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of sexual assault.
> 
> Thank you for reading, commenting and kudos! It means so much to me!! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 25th, 2018_

The body was found in a wooded area near Montrose Park. It wasn’t exactly hidden, but it wasn’t out in the open either. The woman was like the others, mummified and lacking all bodily fluids. Since there was no blood present, Oz and Charlie went under the assumption she was killed elsewhere and dumped.

“What has changed? Before they were clothed, I.D.’s on them and not touched sexually. Now we have a victim completely naked, clearly sexually assaulted, and she as no I.D. on her. This sick fuck is now deriving sexual pleasure from his kills,” Charlie spat out. 

Illia almost threw up after seeing the girl with clear indications of torture, missing body parts, missing nipples. It proved too much for her as bile forced its way to her throat. She held tightly to Vilkas’ shirt as he held her close to him.

Oz nodded in agreement with Charlie’s assessment. “First, he likes to observe us investigating the body, and now he has taken the torture to a whole new level. He’s getting bolder, but why wait this long? Before he was killing every couple of days and now he waited a whole week. What changed?” 

“Hmmm, maybe he held off because he was almost caught the last time, which may have also changed his M.O. Illia said that he knows she and Vilkas are here, so he had to make adjustments. Perhaps he has found a place to do what he needs to do in privacy, so he doesn’t have to rush and do...other things.” Charlie shrugged in disgust. She usually had a strong stomach, but this particular death was almost too much for her.

“Let’s go. Forensics will take over. We need to see the Chief. I got an earful this morning as to the slow progress of our case. Then we need to see Mia again. Since this girl was sexually assaulted, we may be in luck in finding some of his DNA.”

He went over to Illia and saw she still looked green but was holding it all in. “Are you OK? Can you still help us in talking to the Chief? We are going to need you on this if that is alright with you.”

Illia nodded, arms wrapped around herself, feeling cold despite the heat of the day. “Yes, of course.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Fuck, Oz! Do you have any idea how crazy this all sounds?!”

“I certainly do,” Oz responded blandly. “We can prove it.”

The Chief held out his hand to stop whatever they were going to prove. “So what if you can prove it to me. How does that change anything? Look, let’s say you solve this case, and you know it involved...fuck...magic.” Chief Jackson said it like a bad taste in his mouth. “What then? Hmmm? You catch the guy and, what? Parade around in court shooting fire out of your ass? What do you think is going to happen to your new found friend over there? Not only will the media have a field day with this, but you and I will also be laughed out of our jobs. Not to mention, your girl will probably get hauled away to be poked and prodded to death by our government. You seriously think anyone is going to let her walk around freely knowing what she can do...not that I believe it anyway?”

Illia realized for the first time how risky it was coming forward with her magic to Oz. Had he been anyone else, it could have gone much worse for her. She started to wring her scarred hands nervously, as she was prone to do when she was stressed. “Oz…?”

Oz looked up at the ceiling, realizing how stupid he was for not recognizing that. He had been so focused on catching the killer and have two people who knew a lot about it to help them. _Fuck! The Chief’s right_. 

“Chief, I get it. I see your point...I was stupid. But, it doesn’t change the fact that we have a killer on our hands who is using fucking magic, and my friend here knows a lot about it. I don’t know what you want me to do. I mean, we have to catch him, but we also can’t pretend that he’s killing in a ‘conventional’ way.” Oz used the quotes symbols with his hands to emphasize the fact that murder was rarely conventional.

Chief Jackson stood up and started to pace back and forth behind his desk, arms clasped behind his back, forcing his already rotund stomach out further. Then he rubbed his non-existent hair on his head in frustration.

“You’re killing me here, Oz!”

Charlie stood with her back against the wall, watching everyone stressed out and taking everything in, listening to the back and forth. They both made good points. “I get what you both are saying, but I’m with Oz on this one. We still have a killer out there, and he has to be caught, no matter how he’s killing.” She looked over at Illia, seeing her face full of worry. “Illia, we won’t let anything happen to you, OK? We will be careful with the magic stuff, and I don’t think we need to drag her into court with us. We will just have to figure it out as we go.”

Vilkas sat there listening to everyone, realizing they all were missing a significant point when finally spoke up. “I do not even know what court is, and I assume he is meant to live for it, but it may not even matter. For all we know, he could flee back to Nirn, and we will have to hunt him there. If he feels like he is going to be cornered and caught here, he has a way out...Skyrim. If he does return to Skyrim, I promise you one thing; we have no laws to stop us from killing him.”

The Chief got flustered with Vilkas’ vigilante tactics. “Now hold on there, son. He has killed here and must pay the price in our country. This Salazar will need to face the courts and our legal system. You can’t just kill him. What do I tell the families of the victims? Where will their justice be?”

Vilkas just scoffed at the balding man, quickly losing patience. “Do you seriously think your jails can hold a man like Salazar? You are still under the impression that magic does not exist. I can tell you it does, as Illia will show you, and I hope you will realize the extent of the power this man wields, who is twice as strong as Illia. He will not bargain. He will not comply. He will not give up without a fight and a lot more death. We have to be smart about this.”

Charlie realized the extent of what Vilkas was saying. She heard the truth of his words. This killer will never see a day in court. “I have to agree with Vilkas. Guys like Salazar are rarely caught alive. And as powerful as he is, we would never be able to hold him. We don’t have that kind of capability. And what if what Vilkas says is true, that Salazar flees back to their realm? What then? Do you think he will simply let us haul him back and face the courts? He could quickly kill us if he wants to.”

Illia finally spoke up, trying to still her fear from the imaginings of people trying to conduct experiments on her. “I understand the need for justice about the families, more than you know. I also believe that he has killed in our realm too, so there will be families there grieving as well. Salazar has absolutely no regard for life. I can promise you that he will be almost impossible to capture alive. And let us say he was captured and jailed; all he has to do is some spell to make him ethereal, and he walks right out of your jail. He is extremely powerful, sir.”

To prove her point, she cast an incredibly tricky spell. Chief Jackson watched the young woman’s hand filled with a blue orb as it danced and shot out an ice spear right into his wall behind his head. He quickly fell to the ground to keep from being impaled, but she never intended to hit him.

“Are you fucking crazy?”

“If I wanted to hit you, I could have. I was merely demonstrating a point. That is one of my most complicated spells. Imagine that spear going into someone. Now imagine the killer with spells like mine, but he is twice as strong. He can do spells I was never able to master.”

The Chief sat back down in his chair behind his desk and turned to look at the spear in his wall, watching it melt and get water everywhere. A large hole in the wall was starting to appear as it melted. “I’m getting too old for this...fuck!” Turning back to look at the four of them. “What am I to do then? What do I tell the families?”

Oz understood the struggles his Chief was having. He knew this would be an awkward conversation, and he hoped the Chief trusted him enough to do what needed to be done. “I think you should let us proceed as we have been. Our two new friends here have proved to be invaluable, and we need them. We would never have gotten as far into the case as we have without them. I promise you; there would have been more deaths already. If he dies, he dies. I’m not going to weep for him. The families won’t either. I’m sure they would rather see him dead than a long and dragged out court case that the media will gush over. I know that is strange coming from me. I appreciate the law, but this case is almost beyond me. And, don’t think for a second bringing in the FBI. That would be a disaster waiting to happen, especially for Illia. As for the families, I’m sure you will come up with something reasonable for them.”

The Chief nodded and knew he was going to let Oz and Charlie press forward with their progress. “I have to talk to the fucking media about all this. I have no idea what I’m going to say.”

“Just keep it vague, Chief, until Charlie and I can come up with more answers for you.”

“Very well, but I want you to let me know about everything...I mean everything that is going on with the case. Do you understand? I don’t want to be caught with my proverbial pants down!”

“You got it, Chief.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Medical Examiner was in the process of examining the latest victim when they all filed in donning caps and gloves. Dr. Sims looked up at Oz with a glint in her eyes, filled with excitement.

“This must be your lucky day, Oz.”

“Finding another dead body and having the Chief up my ass is not what I call a lucky day. Please tell me you have something.”

“I do, indeed! Our little killer here has been having a bit of fun now with his victims. I know it sounds disgusting, but that is exactly what he’s doing. I can’t tell if she was raped or not as he completely destroyed her insides. But, he certainly ejaculated on her. There’s semen all over her.”

Charlie cringed and felt ill to have her analysis confirmed. “As I thought...he is now deriving pleasure from his victims. Fuck! That means he’s going to get even worse.”

“I do not know how that is possible. I mean, Salazar apparently had intimate encounters with my mother, and she was fairly old. A young man would never want her in any sexual way. I am not sure how he could possibly get a woman to go along with any sexual pleasure; let alone be able to do it physically. I am going to have to think about this,” Illia explained.

Charlie thought about what Illia was saying. “Well, if he took her like he took the others, then he could have forced himself on her.”

Illia shook her head. “Regardless, he has to be old. My mother had me late in life. He has to be a least around her age. He would struggle with intercourse. It does not make sense. There is something I am missing.”

“What about a stamina potion?” Vilkas asked.

“No, it would have to be a very strong one, but I do not think it would be enough. It would help maintain intercourse, but not really, you know...get him ready for it. Give me time, and I will figure it out.”

“Alright, Mia...so, you have semen. That means we have DNA, right?” Oz asked.

“It does indeed! Granted, it doesn’t catch our killer, but it will help when the time comes to bring him to justice. We have evidence against him.”

“Mia, you know better than that. It’s circumstantial at best. Just because she has semen on her doesn’t mean it’s his or that she didn’t have willing sex with someone else first and was killed later. We all know it most likely is, but a good defense attorney could easily turn that around on us.” Oz didn’t bother to mention that the killer would most likely never see a day in court.

“I know, but it’s more than we had before. There are also a lot of fibers and debris on this girl. Not just from the park. He kept her somewhere that was dirty. So, when we find him, and I know you will, we will have that evidence against him too.”

“Great! I know you will make sure you gather everything. Thanks, Mia, and please let us know if you find anything new.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illia and Oz were back at his apartment, quietly eating dinner and thinking about the case from earlier that day. She had struggled to eat much of anything due to the violence that young girl was inflicted with. Illia had seen atrocities committed mostly by the Hagravens growing up, but this was beyond that. The sexual nature of it made it doubly worse. She was still struggling to eat, despite the food being delicious. She forced it down because she knew she had to keep up her strength.

When they were done with dinner, they sat down on his couch, sipping wine and watching T.V. He put on some movie he wasn’t interested in to have some background noise against the silence going on tonight. He was quickly getting used to having Illia around. As they had gotten to know each other, she became more and more talkative and sharing their life stories.

“What’s on your mind, Illia. You’re very quiet tonight.”

“I am just...it is this case. This one today was the worst I have ever seen in my life, and I have seen a lot of atrocities. That and I am still trying to figure out how he did it...sexually.”

“Hey, I have been doing this job for a while now. I know it’s hard to let go of the mental images and fight through all the evidence in your head, but there is a time you need to try to shut it out for a while. It will drive you crazy if you don’t.”

She did not say anything to that and knew he was right, so she tried to focus on something else. She sipped her wine, watching him watch his TV...movie he called it. It did not interest her, but he did. Oz was such a good man, and she enjoyed getting to know him. He was attractive, too, with his dark skin and contrasting light amber eyes. _He would be a good distraction_.

Chugging the rest of her wine, she put her glass down on the coffee table and inched closer to Oz. 

He went to stand to get her another glass of wine, Illia grabbed his hand to pull him back down on the couch. The look in her eyes told him precisely what she wanted, and it definitely wasn’t more wine.

Ever since that evening, he almost kissed her, he had held back. It had been challenging to do as he got to know her, liking her more and more each day. But he had to keep things professional. Apparently, she didn’t seem to care about that at the moment. _Well, it was my fault for telling her to shut it out for a while_.

Oz knew what was coming, but he was finding himself unable to stop her. His stomach turned in anticipation—those lovely blue eyes of hers clearly had a desire in them, and he was sure his eyes conveyed the same thing. But he didn’t reach out to her as she inched her way closer to him, crawling on the couch on her hands and knees, only stopping right before they were face to face. He could feel her breath on his skin and smell the wine on her lips. Her eyes were looking directly into his.

He finally found his voice. “Illia, we can’t…”

“Why can we not?” she asked, not moving away.

“It’s work and…”

“I know, I am just a job to you.”

“No, that’s not what I…”

“Then, why not? I have a need, and you have a need. I see it. I know you want to. We are adults, are we not?” Her lips continued to hover over him, moving around his face, not quite kissing, but it almost felt as such.

“We are…” _Why can’t I finish any of my words!_

“Then why not?” she asked again, hovering her lips over his so close that if he leaned in only a fraction, they would be kissing.

“I...don’t…”

“You worry too much, Detective. Life is already filled with too much worry to stress about something so simple as a kiss,” she smiled and leaned into his lips, kissing him delicately, tentatively unsure if he would kiss her back. 

He gave in as there was no stopping it now. He pulled Illia onto his lap as she straddled him. His stomach fluttered, and heart raced, feeling her kiss him. He hadn’t known her long, but it was something he thought about frequently, and it excited him to kiss her, doubts and concerns quickly vanished from his mind— _regrets can come later_. 

He pushed away her hair and grabbed her face in his hands, inserting his tongue into her mouth, feeling her own soft tongue seeking, caressing his. Her skin was as smooth as he had imagined it as he trailed light fingers along her cheeks and chin.

His lips were so full and soft, and she could not get enough of them. She reached out to his face as well, dragging her fingers roughly through his unshaven scruff, making him moan. She wanted more of him, but he would not let it go past the kissing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Vilkas gets it wrong with Charlie.


	18. Miscommunication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas interprets Charlie's signals just fine, but not so much in relaying those signals to reality, much to the embarrassment of both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day my lovely readers! Two chapters today, both of which are all about romance and love in all its awkward forms. A little relaxation before more death and mayhem ;). I did not have these chapters planned for today, but worked out quite nicely!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and commenting! It means the world! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 26th, 2018_

She had taken the day off from work to get out and spend some time alone. She was on call, but she needed to breathe for a bit. Charlie hadn't gone for a run in almost a week, not after that day of the shooting. Illia had healed her, and while no longer in any pain, she had been a bit drained. It was probably more due to her mental state rather than a physical one. 

Telling Vilkas about her past had also taken a lot out of her, and she fretted a bit about how he felt about it, despite what he told her. She couldn't help it. She would look for signs that he didn't like her, or lost respect for her. There was never any indication, but she found herself becoming quite insecure about it, and she couldn't figure out why she cared so much about his opinion. Then, like him, her nightmares returned. The violence of being shot and telling her story was causing an emotional strain.

She put on a pair of shorts, a t-shirt, and her running shoes to sweat and clear her mind. "I'm heading out for a run, Vilkas. I will be back in a couple of hours," she yelled at his bedroom door, hearing him recently get up for the morning.

Vilkas quickly opened the door, still with sleepy eyes and stifling a yawn. "Why do you need to run?"

"Well, it's good exercise, and it clears my mind."

"Then I should come with you. You should not go out alone with that killer out there. And after you were shot, I do not want to leave you alone."

She held up her hand to stop him. "No. I appreciate your...concern, but I have to clear my head. I need to be alone for a while with my thoughts. Besides, as strong as you are, you wouldn't be able to keep up in this heat."

"It's raining…"

"OK, fair enough, but still. I just need some alone time, Vilkas. It's nothing personal. I am just...used to being alone."

"Very well, but please do not be gone too long. I will worry."

"Again, I'm grateful you care about my well-being, but I have been on my own for a long time, and I am a cop, well equipped to handle most things. I will be fine. Please don't look at me like that. It has nothing to do with you. I just need some quiet time."

He reluctantly nodded. "Alright, then. Please be careful."

Charlie usually ran down to the Mall and Smithsonian area as it wasn't too far, but she knew she would be gone too long, and Vilkas would worry. _Again, why do I care so much?_ So she headed over to the C&O to run the trail, despite the first girl getting killed around there. 

It was lightly raining, which kept her from getting too hot as she felt her legs and lungs burn from exertion. Ever since she talked to Vilkas about her past, her trauma had been plaguing her mind every day since. Then the nightmares came. Part of the problem was Vilkas' own trauma. She had a feeling it would fuel hers, which it did. It wasn't his fault, but it was concerning.

The other problem she was facing was her growing interest in him. He was probably the last thing she needed in her life with the trauma and the fact she was working a case with him, but she couldn't help it. While he was handsome, it didn't matter as much as how she connected with him, probably because they both suffered as children. But there were differences too. He wasn't afraid to show how he felt about things, where she was more reticent—hiding away behind jokes and humor, yet it helped keep her from losing it over the years. 

_It doesn't matter. He doesn't seem interested in me anyway._

After running for an hour, she headed back home, finally burning enough that it cleared her head of most thought. When she entered her apartment, she could smell food cooking and coffee brewing.

He heard her come in and yelled out. "Food will be ready soon. There's coffee here." He grew to love the strong brew, so Charlie had taught him how to make it. When he left back to Skyrim, he would miss the hot and robust liquid.

Charlie walked into the kitchen and saw him there, dicing up some food she couldn't see past his massive frame. He must have taken a shower recently as his hair was still wet and dripping down his shirtless shoulders and back. She walked closer to him, wanting to reach out to touch his muscled and scarred back, but withdrew her hand and just watched him dice the food. _He must have learned to cook where he is from_.

All the endorphins running through her body after exercise didn't help matters as she watched him, doing everything she could to keep from touching him. She wanted to plant her face in his neck and feel his strange warm body pressed against hers, slip a hand down his...

Vilkas must have sensed her staring as he put down the knife and turned around, strangely sniffing the air. She could have sworn his eyes glowed just then and walked over to her with purpose, not stopping until he was inches from her looking down, dwarfing her petite frame. She quickly backed up and banged hard into her kitchen table, almost knocking everything off of it.

He grasped her from behind and pulled her in close as he stooped down and pressed his face against her neck, inhaling her skin. She felt her body had a mind of its own as it gave into him and let herself be pressed up against his tight chest, goosebumps tingled her arm as she felt his breath in her neck. Her mind was reeling, trying to figure out what suddenly changed from innocent watching to him ready to take her there on the kitchen floor. Her heart and stomach fluttered that familiar beating and twirling that happens when one gets their first kiss. But he wasn't kissing her...he was sniffing her.

"You want to mate…," he whispered in her neck as a statement rather than a question. 

_Mate?_ She thought almost deliriously.

"Wha...what?"

He grabbed a fistful of her short auburn hair that was still damp from the rain and sweat, and gently pulled her head back and continued to press his nose into her neck, his own wet hair trailing along her face. She moaned quietly, debating if she should push him away or accept him.

"Yes, you want to mate."

That snapped her out of it. "Wait; what? Mating? No! No mating…"

"Yes, you do."

"Nope! Big NOPE...no mating!"

"Yes, I can smell it on you."

Her head was still back as he looked into her eyes with his glowing animal ones. He leaned in to kiss her when she pressed her hands against his chest to stop him.

"Do men in your country just take what they want, Vilkas?"

That stopped him. "What?! No! I'm no barbarian."

"Then let me go, please."

"But...I...I was certain…"

"And, I'm saying no."

Vilkas let her go, horrified at the idea she thought he would rape her. _My nose is never wrong. I could tell she wanted to mate. It does not matter if she says no. Just because she smelled like it does not mean she would have said yes, Whelp!_

"I...I am so very sorry…that was not my intention..." He felt the heat in his face and ears rise, feeling flustered as he went back to finish cooking, unable to look her in the eyes.

She quickly grabbed a cup of coffee and took it to the bathroom to shower, flustered, and blushed herself. _How could he tell what I was feeling?_

After her shower, they sat down and ate their eggs with vegetables in awkward silence. Vilkas was brooding and looking quite uncomfortable and miserable. "I am so sorry," he finally muttered, picking at his food with his fork.

She didn't know what came over her, perhaps it was the awkward silence after stopping something they both wanted, or him back to his brooding ways, which strangely made him endearing as a giggle bubbled through her lips.

Vilkas looked at her sharply, wondering why she was laughing at this serious situation they found themselves in. "Is this funny to you?!"

"Yes, it is. I'm sorry. I'm sure my laughing makes you feel worse," Charlie explained between snorts of laughter, more so since he was even more flustered than before.

"How can you laugh when you thought I would rape you."

That quickly sobered her up. "Jeez, I didn't think you were going to rape me, Vilkas. If I thought that you wouldn't be sitting where you are, in my house, next to me. I would have pulled out my gun and kicked you out. I didn't think I was in danger of you raping me...or was I?"

He looked at her reluctantly, still uncomfortable about the whole situation—embarrassed if he was honest with himself. "No, I would not just take you like that."

They sat for a while in silence again, still unsure of what to say to her as she watched him squirm and continue to blush, barely touching his food.

Charlie sighed loudly, then groaned, unable to take his brooding any longer. "Oh, for the love of...look, Vilkas, you weren't wrong. I...yes, I wanted to...mate as you called it. I'm attracted to you, and I feel I relate to you, that you understand what it's like since we both suffered as children. I...I don't know. I wanted to give in, but it was strange to have an innocent peak watching you cook to you...to you suddenly reading what was on my mind. I didn't know how to react and wanted to resist you."

He just nodded, still feeling guilty for his behavior, but glad he did not entirely repulse her.

"How did you know, Vilkas. It was like you could smell it on me."

There was mistake number two. He let his wolf take over too much earlier, and now it had gotten him in trouble. "Aye, I can smell it. I told you once that I do not have magic like Illia, but I have something...else. My senses are just...how do you say, refined. I can hear and smell better than most. That is why I struggled with your world for a while. I was overstimulated."

"I see. Is that why you relate to me so well? You sense things?"

"Aye, I knew when you talked to me that day on the steps. You...calmed me. It is also why I feel so strongly about things. I am quite sensitive." He tried to explain to her without going into too much detail. _She won't understand,_ he repeated in his head. It was his new recurring mantra _._

"So, you only wanted me because you smelled it on me?" She didn't mean to sound so disappointed. She wanted him to like her and want her as she was, not because he could sense some strange hormonal change in her.

"I...I know it is strange that we barely know each other, but I wanted you before today. I wanted to hold you and kiss you the day you were in the hospital. Your unwavering strength against those thugs enthralled me. I was enraged when they hurt you. I would not have done what I did earlier had I not wanted you too," he whispered.

He could smell her desire once more, but he was not going to make that mistake again. He struggled to hold back from her desires. It was intense, but he did not want to make her any more uncomfortable than he already had.

She was the one who reached out to him this time, tucking back some of his hair and lightly touching the scruff on his face, making him look up at her. "Don't feel bad about earlier, OK? It's fine. I'm fine. I don't hate you, and I'm not angry."

Vilkas grabbed her hand off of his face and kissed her knuckles, nodding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To cool them off, Charlie took Vilkas to the Smithsonian to look at some of Earth's history. She just hoped work would leave them alone long enough to relax. They all needed it. They went to the Museum of Natural History, her favorite, where he saw everything that pertained to Earth, from their animals to their cultural history. 

They were holding each other's hands as they explored each exhibit, Charlie explaining everything to him. 

Vilkas was staring in awe at all the bones of animals and dinosaurs, some as large as dragons, though strangely, they had a lot of the same animals he had in his own world. He should not have been surprised considering humans were very much like the people of his own country. Vilkas learned more about Earth in one day than he had almost two weeks of being there.

It stopped raining when they were done and grabbed some late lunch outside. Vilkas was finally getting used to all the noise of the cars and planes and people. It took a while until it just became a steady din as he learned to tune it out.

He watched as another plane flew overhead. "You know the day I first fell through the portal; I thought a plane was a giant metal monster. I pulled out my sword, ready to fight what was to come." He shook his head and laughed at the absurdity of it all, looking back.

Charlie chuckled. "I think if it happened to me, I would have felt the same. I know if I saw one of your dragons, I'd probably crap my pants."

He laughed, trying to ignore that particular imagery. "You would not. You are a warrior."

"You keep saying that…"

"You know, we have machines as well in my country. There were elves once, called Dwemer, who were great inventors and created great beasts made of metal using the very soul gems we talked about before. One day, they just vanished from Nirn, leaving behind ancient technologies that still work today."

"Wow, that is really interesting. What happened these Dwemer?"

"No one knows. Many believe they traveled to another realm. At first, I thought the Dwemer came here. They were bastards anyway."

"Your world sounds quite interesting, though I'm sure if I visited, I would miss my music, TV, and hot baths."

"I will miss your coffee."

When Vilkas said that it reminded her that he would not be here forever. He had his own home to go back to, eventually. It was just as well nothing happened between them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night, after dinner, she introduced Vilkas to the world of Game of Thrones. He found it was not too unlike his own world with the dragons and up North with all the snow. He did not fully understand the story, unfamiliar with the TV on the whole, but she seemed to enjoy it.

He woke up with a start sometime later and found he had fallen asleep upright on her couch, neck stiff from bending it back on the cushion. Looking over at Charlie, who was sleeping too, legs stretched out on his thighs. She looked so peaceful and relaxed, hating to wake her up.

He gently lifted her legs off of him as he slid out from under her, then deftly picked her up to carry her to her bed where she would be more comfortable. She seemed so small in his arms, and he did not want to let her go. Laying her down on her bed, he stood up to go back to his own when he felt her grab his hand.

"Mmmm, don't go," she said groggily.

"I probably should not, Charlie."

"You probably should. I'm not asking for anything...just lie down with me. My dreams have been getting worse since the shooting."

Removing his pants, he slid in the bed next to her and covered them both up, lying next to her stiffly on his back, not touching her, until he finally fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Illia gets to meet Oz's family who never stops trying to find him a girlfriend.


	19. Family Matters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oz introduces Illia to his family and his sisters constantly nag him about his relationships or lack thereof. Illia soon discovers how alone she truly is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of smut, thus NSFW
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day my lovely readers! Two chapters today, both of which are all about romance and love in all its awkward forms. A little relaxation before more death and mayhem ;). I did not have these chapters planned for today, but worked out quite nicely!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading and commenting! It means the world! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 26th, 2018_

Illia and Oz did not have sex that night as much as she desired for it. She wanted the touch of a man, not quite desperately, but close to it as it had been so long. She knew he worried about working together, but she was not asking for marriage or commitment. Just his touch, a reminder of being alive and a woman, to help give a reason as to why she was hunting down a killer and helping to save their realms.

Oz gave into her with the kissing, but he drew the line with sex, still not sure if that was such a good idea with them working together, though he didn't know how long he could keep her at bay. He wanted her, of that he had no doubt.

Like Charlie, he took the day off. They all needed the break, praying there wouldn't be another body. Oz had been neglectful to see his father and sisters. He was reluctant to drag Illia with him to see his family, not because he didn't want her to meet them, but his sisters incessantly nagged him about dating and marriage. He was afraid they would get the wrong idea of Illia and him.

"What are we doing today, Oz. You said you wanted to take the day off, right?" Illia asked after breakfast.

"Yes, we are free to do whatever today, but I need to see my family for dinner tonight. I'm already going to get an earful for not seeing them sooner. You can come with me, or you can stay here. It's up to you. But I warn you; my sisters are going to pressure me about dating and drag you into it. I will try to keep them from doing that."

"I would love to meet your family. I'm sure we can handle whatever they throw at us," she teased.

"Sounds good. Just be prepared to be bombarded by a lot of questions. I suggest we refrain from any mentions of magic...or you killing a coven of witches," he smirked to her in jest, but he was only half-joking.

"I will try to be as Earth-like as I can, sir."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oz parked the car in front of an old row house that was in decent condition but still needed quite a bit of work. Houses dotted the area were in various states of repair, and the community struggled to gentrify the area of historic Anacostia. Part of him wanted the neighborhood safer, but gentrification came at a cost and at the expense of those who lived there. He was torn, especially since this was where he grew up.

"Hello!" Oz yelled as soon as he walked in the door. 

Illia could hear children screaming and running to the door as soon as Oz called out. Neither of them could have been older than 7 or 8 years. He picked up each one, throwing them into the air as if they weighed nothing, much to their delight and squeals.

"Illia, this is my niece, Jasmin, and nephew, Jalen." 

"It is my pleasure to meet you, children."

"Hi!" they both yelled out as soon as he put them down. "Uncle Oz! Uncle Oz! Did you bring us anything?!"

"Now, why would I bring a couple of unruly children, such as yourselves, presents?" He tried not to smile, but he couldn't help but laugh at their faces. "Of course, I brought you both something. There's a bag by the door. Go get them."

The children squealed and ran off to get their much-awaited present, something Uncle Oz always did for them when he came for a visit.

"Is that you, Oz?!" A woman yelled out from the back of the house.

"It is I, your favorite brother!" Oz yelled out as he came up to his eldest sister getting dinner ready in the kitchen and gave her a big hug.

She shoved him off and waved him away, but chuckled nonetheless. "You're my only brother." She was a pleasant-looking woman, tall and thin like her brother with a big mass of tight curls on her head and beautiful amber eyes.

"Naomi, this is my friend Illia." 

Naomi eyed the pretty woman and reached out to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you, Illia."

"My pleasure," Illia bowed her head at the woman, shaking her hand in return. "I hope you do not find me too bold, but you are lovely."

Naomi grasped the woman in a hug. "Oz, can I keep her? So, are you and Oz together?"

Oz coughed up the soda he was drinking at his sister's boldness, though he shouldn't have been surprised. "No, uhm…"

"No, but it is not for lack of trying on my part," Illia interrupted him, jokingly to see Oz turn darker than he already was. Oz gave her a 'please don't go there' stare as Illia smiled brightly at him.

Naomi snorted with a laugh. "Sounds just like my little brother."

Before they could talk further, Oz's other sister and father came down to greet them. "Illia, this is my other sister, the ever-talented, Alicia. She's the one who did all the paintings. Those children are hers as well."

Alicia was not as tall as her sister and brother and a bit rounder, but she was no less pretty, but her eyes were a rich and deep, umber-color. "Oh, I love your art! It is quite lovely and intriguing!" Illia gushed.

"Thank you so much, Illia! Glad you enjoyed my work!"

"And, this is my father, Isiah," Oz introduced.

Oz was the epitome of his father, except for the color of the eyes. They would have been twins, were it not for Isiah's gray hair and a smattering of wrinkles.

They all hung around the small kitchen, sipping wine and peppering Illia with questions.

"How did you two meet, Illia?" Naomi asked.

"Well, uhm, I happened to have found some evidence to Oz's Reaper case and offered my assistance." It was going to be hard to do so much lying and hated to do so to Oz's delightful family, but she had years of practice and had no choice.

"Are you in law-enforcement too?" It was Alicia's turn to ask.

"Oh, no...I…"

"You don't need to interrogate poor Illia," Oz said, trying to get them to back off a bit before something slipped.

Isiah wanted to know about her family. "Do you have a family? Children? Siblings?"

Illia looked down at her hands sadly with flashes of memory of that terrible day. "No, I am all alone in this world."

"Well, if Oz here keeps you, you will have us!" Naomi yelled out as the two sisters cheered and clinked wine glasses.

Oz gave Naomi the eye to back off about Illia and him, though he was grateful they all liked her. He knew she just wanted to see him happy with a woman he cared about, but it was a struggle, and it didn't help that she pushed the issue a lot. 

Dinner was a loud and fun affair full of delicious food, talking, and drinking. It was so warm and inviting. She looked at Oz, holding his niece with her sleeping on his lap. She found it quite endearing. While Illia enjoyed his family very much, it also made her upset that she was never able to have such a family. She did not have siblings to joke with, nag at her about her relationships, or parents to be proud of her. It was then she realized how alone she really was.

Oz was sitting next to her and could see new emotions cross her face, wondering what was going on. He reached under the table to grab her hand and squeezed it to let her know he was there for her.

"Excuse me, but I must use your restroom." Illia stood up and quickly left for the restroom before she started to cry. They were lovely people, and she did not want to ruin the evening with her tears, so she did a breathing exercise to calm herself down and think about other things besides those she never had.

When she returned, Oz whispered to her. "You OK?"

She just nodded and continued to eat the delicious meal.

After dinner, Oz was talking family business with his father while his two sisters pulled Illia to the kitchen for more wine and gossip, with no little brother to stop them.

Naomi leaned her elbows on the kitchen table, eyeing Illia with a smirk. "So tell me, Illia, are you and my brother dating or what's going on? He never brings women over to meet us." Alicia nodded at her sister in agreement.

"Oh, I had not known that. Dating? You mean like, are we...together?" When they both nodded, she tried to explain the best she could. "Well, no. I actually would not mind that. I like him a lot. But he is resistant because we are technically working together and…" She was about to explain her need to return home eventually, but she did not want them asking where home was.

"That boy is going to be a perpetual bachelor at this rate," Alicia chided.

"He told me he struggles to find someone who does not get frustrated with what he does for a living," Illia explained.

Naomi waved a hand as if shooing a fly. "Oh, we know that, but he's given up on finding someone."

Alicia, always in agreement with her sister. "Yep, but he's always been kind of a loner...introverted. He was such a shy child, and after Mom died, he became much more so. As he grew up, he was of a one-track mind and studied hard in school to get out of this neighborhood."

Naomi also nodded in agreement with her sister. "Being a black child in this neighborhood was a struggle. They were always trying to drag him down to their level, but he refused. Stuck to his studies and didn't go out much with the other children."

"Well, I guess all that hard work paid off. Oz is wonderful at what he does...brilliant."

"Oh, we know that, Illia. We know that. But we worry he has set himself up to be alone. He doesn't have to get married or anything, but having someone special can help with the stresses of life."

Illia was thinking about what the sisters were telling her. "I am glad to know more about Oz, but is there a purpose behind what you are telling me?"

Naomi smirked at Illia. "Well, you are a smart one yourself. As a matter of fact, and only if you are seriously interested in my brother...just let him know he doesn't have to be alone for everything. He is a good man who deserves more. Just...don't give up on him, but only if you are serious."

Illia liked his sisters a lot, but Oz was not wrong. She felt they were too pushy about his relationships with women, so she was careful in her response. "I appreciate your sentiment and how you worry about him, and while I like him very much, I do not want to push him. He has a lot on his shoulders right now and does not need me to complicate matters."

At the end of the evening, they all hugged Illia and said their goodbyes to Oz. They were quiet in the car on the way back to his apartment, and he kept looking over at her to see if she was OK, since he worried about her during dinner, but her face gave nothing away.

"I really like your family, Oz," she said out of the blue.

He smiled over at her, but she couldn't see him as she was looking out the window. "Thanks, I like them too."

It was not too late when they got back, but Illia decided to go to bed. The whole family thing upset her. She had a great time, but it was a reminder of how truly alone she was. "Goodnight, Oz."

As she was walking off, Oz quickly grabbed her and pulled her back. "Hey, what's going on with you? What's wrong?"

"It is nothing," she responded, trying to pull away before she cried.

"It's definitely not nothing," he said, letting her go.

She did not want to ruin a wonderful evening with tears, but it was too late. They insisted on spilling down her face despite her best efforts. 

"Hey, why the tears... what's going on. Talk to me."

She did not look at him while she tried to keep from weeping. "I liked your family, and...it was just a reminder, well, of how alone I am. I had an abusive mother, a horrible upbringing, no siblings, no father. I was not allowed to marry or have children, let alone any sort of relationship. I feel like I am doing this hunting of Salazar for a world in which I will continue to be alone."

He pulled her to him and held her. "You're not alone, Illia. I know it sounds terribly clichéd, but it's true."

She cried into him, staining his nice shirt with her wet tears. She wanted to believe what he said was true, but it was not. It was just something temporary. Eventually, she would have to return home and to what? She had Vilkas, she supposed, as a friend, but that was not the same either. He was not family. She had been surrounded by people all her life; they were a family of a sort, an evil, and dysfunctional family, but this was indeed the first time she had been alone, and it hit her full-force after tonight.

Oz lifted her chin to look into her wet eyes, bluer than he had ever seen them with their tears, wiping away some of the wetness with thumbs.

She looked back at him with pleading eyes. "Make love to me, Oz. I...I know it sounds desperate, but I need the touching and closeness right now. Remind me of why I am doing all this. I am not going to beg, but it is what I want. I am not asking for commitments or marriage. I just...need it."

It only took him a fraction of a second to think about it before he plunged his lips to hers, no longer caring about anything else other than her. It wasn't just to fulfill her needs, but his as well. Her lips were salty from her tears as he kissed them away and inserted his tongue in her mouth. She grabbed his face to keep him pressed to her as if it would depart from her mouth at any moment.

Memories flashed through her mind of a late night when she was a teen, and everyone was asleep as she snuck to the next farm. _Kissing the teen boy she recently met. Awkward fumblings of clothes and smalls. Kisses on her breast, biting nipples too hard. Almost choking on his hardness, bitter, salty taste, but she doesn't care as the straw in the stables stab her knees. He fumbles his tongue between her legs as they both try to figure out how to please her._

She quickly unbuttoned his shirt before he changed his mind and paused only long enough for him to remove her own over her head, small but perky breasts spilling out.

He was pleased she still didn't wear a bra; thoughts of bra-burning crossed his mind making him smile before she distracted him again. Illia slid his t-shirt off his shoulders and tried to pull it over his head, but he was too tall and bent down for her.

Once their shirts were flung to some unknown corners of the room, she grasped his face once more, wonderfully soft lips pressed to hers. She could not get enough of his lips, imagining them kissing and sucking between her legs, making her wet at the very thought. Her nipples hardened as they pressed up against his firm chest sparsely covered in dark hair.

She felt her hair being tugged from behind as her head looked up at the ceiling, feeling his soft lips kiss down her throat and suckled her breasts. Her moan was deep and throaty, and she only wanted him to stop to have him inside of her eventually. There were smells of something fragrant coming off of him, something spicy and masculine. Feelings of loneliness quickly pushed aside with only thoughts of his lips upon her body.

She felt herself being pushed onto the couch, not knowing how she got there, her only focus was him. Delicate fingers danced on his dark chest, feeling goosebumps travel along his body. She looked into his amber eyes and was pleased to see only lust and want for her; a roguish grin played on her lips.

Pants then panties were pulled off until Illia was fully naked before him. He sat up to enjoy the view of her sitting completely naked on his couch. He wanted to take her; the hardness between his legs was becoming almost unbearable. Watching her reach for him to undo his pants, he brushed aside her hands and pushed her back to the couch. The fire and heat in her eyes begged for him not to stop.

She did not mind him staring at her wholly, flushed body as pleasure and warmth coursed between her legs in anticipation. Years of undressing in front of others had left her unshy about being naked. 

He unceremoniously bent her legs back and ran a thumb through her wetness, imagining ways to please her. Her wetness hardened him even further, more than he expected to be possible, heat spreading between his legs. Spreading her thighs further, kissing them before he ran his tongue on her wet folds, causing her to mewl and grab his head tightly, fingers digging into the skin.

Illia was pleased he knew precisely where to go as she felt a long-forgotten jolt of electricity combined with warmth. Something about the tongue that could not compare to late-night fingers in the dark when one knew what they were doing. Some men took forever to find her spot; some did not care. Oz cared, and he knew as he suckled her bud, then diving his tongue again between her wet folds, and she draped her legs over his shoulders.

He reached with one hand to pinch one of her nipples and not let the other go unnoticed. His efforts were rewarded with her moans as she pulled his head in closer to her. 

He knew she was there as she thrust into his mouth, and her body froze in place for a moment, every muscle tight as bud popped and she pulsed into his eager mouth. Her gift was a resonant and deep moan. He didn't stop until she finally begged him to, jolting with each lick to that specific nerve.

Her mind was pleasantly vacant in ecstasy, running primarily on instincts she slid off the couch onto the floor to undo his pants and slipped them off his narrow hips as he sprung eagerly forth. She grabbed him and inserted his smooth and warm hardness into her mouth, wanting to taste him. Her tongue twirling on his tip, making him hiss.

He braced himself on the couch cushions watching her devour him as he leaked into her mouth, wanting to finish and see her taste him. Her mouth warm and smooth as she slid him in and out of her sending waves of heat through him. Oz wasn't going to last long at this rate as he forced himself out of her mouth. She reached out for it once more before he stopped her.

"No, I want to feel myself inside of you, but you are going to have to give me a moment."

Illia watched him remove his pants and boxers, then pull out a small package from his wallet and tore the paper open. He pulled out something she did not recognize as he quickly slid it over his cock, assuming it had to do with the prevention of pregnancy. _He is wasting too much time;_ she thought as she laid down on the soft rug, quickly grabbing him down with her. 

"By Dibella, in me now!" she yelled out.

He bent down to kiss her roughly. She was so slick; he filled her in one fluid move gracing him with a loud moan into his mouth and arch of her back.

He pulled back from her lips, watching her as he thrust deeply. Her eyes solely focused on his, and her hands were not idle as she touched every part of his body within reach. Her mouth slightly parted open, eyes moving to watch him shove into her making her eyes water and roll back into her head as he hit that sweet spot deep inside of her. She slid fingers to her bud, wanting to explode once more but with him inside this time.

Feeling himself build between his legs watching her touch herself, he pushed back one of her legs to penetrate deeper... _faster_. She cried out for more though she could take no more. Surrounded by her pulses as she continued to touch herself faster, all that work culminated into a satisfying explosion. It made his body shudder and shake as he slammed none too delicately in and out of her until he was entirely spent, grunting with each thrust. 

Slowly pulling out, he fell alongside her to catch his breath as she turned to face him. "Oh, that was exactly what I needed, and apparently, you did too," she panted out and smiled at him, barely seeing anything through her sexual fog, and gave him a tender kiss on the lips. "Thank you for that, Oz."

"No...pleasure was completely mine…" he said breathlessly, between kissing her. "Good lord, Illia...that was…"

"Yes, I know…"

She pulled back from their kissing and lightly touched his face when she looked at her scarred hands. That was when the answer to her question that had been plaguing her hit her full force.

"I know how he got close to her!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Auras, embassies, stakeouts and meeting a killer


	20. Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our gang of intrepid detectives discusses how the killer managed to catch his latest victim and figure out why he chooses particular victims, and a possible hideout. A quick meeting at the end with the killer leaves everyone in a panic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! I appreciate them so much!! >3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 27th, 2018_

In the morning, Oz, Charlie, Vilkas, and Illia all met at the police station to discuss what Illia had discovered and to go over the evidence thus far. To see if they could come up with a plan and figure out where Salazar could be hiding.

Charlie, the ever-observant one, knew what Oz and Illia had been up to the night before. They were trying to be aloof, but they weren’t doing such a good job at it. She could see shy smiles here and there, standing closer than usual for a moment, a delicate brush of fingertips when they thought no one was looking—not to mention the constant smiles. 

Charlie had not had a chance to talk to Oz alone in a while. She didn’t want to embarrass Illia, so she pulled Oz aside so no one could hear them and asked him questions about Illia. “Oz, sorry to be blunt, but did you sleep with her? And, no I’m not trying to be judgemental, I’m just surprised is all. It’s...not like you.”

“Shit, is it that noticeable?”

“Uhm, yeah, it is. I’m sure Vilkas has noticed too. Hey, it’s all good. I just want to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into as you don’t have the best of luck with women.”

“I know. Illia said she just needed it...she was struggling with loneliness last night, and it wasn’t anything serious. But, yeah, I think I’m in trouble. I like her...I mean, I really like her.”

“Just...don’t get your hopes up that she will stay when this is all said and done, and she has to return home.”

“I certainly wouldn’t expect her to. It’s OK. Believe me; I have been wracking my brain about this for awhile. How about you and Mr. Broody over there? He seems quite attached to you himself.”

“The feeling is starting to become mutual. I’ve been having nightmares again after the shooting, and Vilkas has been calming for me. Apparently, I do the same for him. Strange how you and I are both attracted to each of them as if our own people here don’t do enough for us.”

“So, you haven’t…you know?”

“No, though I have certainly wanted to, but have chosen to refrain. You know, Vilkas says he doesn’t have magic like Illia, but there is something different about him. He’s not...normal for lack of a better word. He has these strange abilities. He can hear a pin drop, has an insane sense of smell, he can sense feelings from others sometimes, which explains why he’s so open with the emotions. I could have sworn his eyes flash a golden color during intense moments. His body constantly runs hot as if he has a fever…”

“ _He_ can prove her point that _he_ can hear your entire conversation,” Vilkas spoke up, looking at the evidence board.

Charlie just looked at Oz and waved her hand out towards Vilkas, visually implying ‘case in point,’ though that didn’t stop her from blushing heavily. She thought she was far enough away from Vilkas and Illia to talk. Oz just shook his head in amazement.

“Alright, let’s get down to business,” Oz ordered. “Illia, tell them what you told me last night.”

Illia stood up to face the group and held out her hands, palms facing her. “You all know my story and how I got these scars. When I was younger, I was very insecure about them. I would sneak out periodically or get to visit a town, and I would get a chance to finally meet a young man...the one thing I could rebel against my mother. Well, I did not want the men to see my hands like this, so I would take my restoration spell and make it as if I never had scars.”

To demonstrate, she used the restoration spell on one of her hands, and they all watched in awe as her scars completely vanished. “Before you get too excited and wonder why I have not done this all along is because it is not permanent. For me, it lasts a few hours. For someone like Salazar, perhaps a whole day.”

“So, what does this mean?” Charlie asked, unsure where Illia was going with this.

“It means that it explains two things. One that he can make himself appear youthful to get close to young women. He would not have to force them any longer using spells, which he would prefer due to his narcissistic tendencies. Two, he could do this on his...well, penis. He could restore it enough to get it to function. I had been struggling to figure out how he could relieve himself sexually at his age. He has to be around 70 years, at least.”

“Fuck, so that means we may technically have to look for two people instead of one? Fucking terrific!” Charlie complained. “A young Salazar and an old Salazar.”

Oz nodded in understanding. “That’s what I said last night.”

Vilkas had a look of disgust on his face. “So, he is no longer satisfied with using spells to paralyze them? He now hunts for them, attracts them, has sex with them, then kills them? Well, at least one we know of, but there will be more, of that we can be sure.”

“Where do you think he’s committing these killings now?” Charlie asked. “He took his time with the last girl, had sex with her, and we know she wasn’t killed at the scene.”

“To be a megalomaniac like Salazar, he would want a nice place. But it would have to be not only large but private enough that people aren’t going to hear...the screams,” Oz explained. “I have been thinking a lot about this recently. I wonder if he’s managed to find his way into one of those old abandoned Embassies. Embassy Row is full of them now, and they are close by.”

Vilkas hoped that if they could get close to each building like he and Illia did with the caves; they could both find which one he was living in. “Can we search for these buildings? If we can get close to them, we will not even have to go inside. Illia will be able to sense magic, and I may possibly...smell him. As Charlie just told you, Oz, I have a...very good sense of smell. I caught a scent when we chased him, though, I am not sure it was him as he was invisible. If I smell it again at one of these places, then we know he is there. It is what Illia and I did when we searched for his lair. She found the cave with the portal sensing his magic.”

“We may have to rely on your nose then, Vilkas. He knows we are here for him and that I can sense his magic. He may refrain from using it so I cannot find him,” Illia explained.

“Shit, I hope he’s not staying in one of those embassies. Do you have any idea how hard it will be to get a warrant to enter another country’s property? We would have to bring in the FBI on this just to get into one,” Charlie complained.

“There are a few that are no longer owned by their respective countries...maybe he is staying in one of those,” Oz said, perhaps too hopefully.

“Well, if we don’t want to involve the FBI and respective countries, perhaps we can find out which one he’s hiding in with the help of Illia and Vilkas, then we can take turns staking it out until he shows his face. We may want to do that anyway to get an idea of what the hell he looks like.”

Illia was glad to see plans finally forming, setting them on a path to finding Salazar. “Yes, we also need to see where he will be finding his souls. He is collecting souls based on their auras. I have yet to figure out which aura he is seeking, but I would assume they are harder to come by than others.” 

“So, no ideas yet about auras, then?” Oz asked.

“I hate to say it, but I do not know much about them. I know I can see them when I try, but I have not done extensive studies on them. My mother never really focused on that part of my training. Perhaps I can research something here? Do people here study auras?”

Charlie nodded. “Oh yes, there are groups of people entirely too interested in the subject. I’m sure we can hunt down the information you need.”

They all soon huddled around Charlie’s desk as she started banging on letters on the flat board with a box with images, similar to a T.V. Vilkas and Illia soon learned that it was a computer where they could find all the information they needed. 

“Think of it as all the books in the world with pictures all in one location. I press the letters called typing and do searches for the information we need.” Despite her description, it still made no sense to Vilkas and Illia. 

Charlie typed in ‘aura’ to search, and the computer provided a list of information regarding auras. “Here we go. We can click each one and see what information they provide. Then, you Illia, can let us know what you think.”

Illia nodded in fascination at the screen as all the information she could possibly need was at her fingertips. “This is amazing. To have something like this…”

As Illia read about the aura colors and their meanings, she was drawn mostly to the violet/purple auras. She focused mainly on the specific words ‘almost a magical connectedness with the divine.’ “See those words? That would be something he would be drawn to. It is a powerful aura. I do not think that is quite it either. There must be some color combinations, something that makes the soul very unique and special, which would explain the previous victims being so different from one another.

But because most of the colors are a positive force, it would stand to reason all the torture he inflicts on them is to change their auras. He could not capture a soul after tormenting it with a purple aura, for example, and have it maintain its color. It would become black. While he can create a black aura with what he is doing, I am assuming the special colored aura turning black is what is important to him.”

None of them knew what to say about that. It didn’t help to find the killer, but it helped them figure out who the victims might be.

“I do not know. I cannot figure out what color combinations he would be interested in. Possibly blue since it is the closest to purple, and they have some sense of clairvoyance? I am so very sorry,” Illia lamented.

“No, this is great, Illia,” Oz reassured her. “This helps a lot.”

“So, he wants the auras to turn black, you said?” Vilkas asked.

“Yes, I believe so. Well, Salazar must as he would have no choice in the matter with what he is doing to the victims. Black auras represent pain and suffering, either mentally or physically, perhaps both.” 

“Why do you think he wants these specific souls?” Charlie asked.

Illia just shrugged. “If I had to guess, they would be particular souls the Ideal Masters would ask for. They are probably rare, and they would covet them. Give him the power he craves in return for these particular souls. I am assuming where we are from, there are not enough of us to have the souls he needs, as it is not exactly a happy place. There are problems with dragons rising, there’s a civil war, there are threats of another possible war with the Aldemeri Dominion, a particular group of elves. People are struggling, so their aura’s are not going to be the brightest.”

“Well, it’s something at least,” Oz shrugged. “Alright, let’s take my car and search the embassies and see if you both can find the particular one we are looking for.”

Embassy Row wasn’t that far away, and Oz slowed down his driving to find all the embassies he knew were abandoned. The abandoned embassies were driving the people of D.C. and officials nuts because there was nothing they could do about it as the mansions became dilapidated being the property of other countries. He drove to the Pakistani Embassy first, going on the assumption that it was one of the few that was a stand-alone building. The Iranian one was next, but a fence surrounded it.

He parked across the street from the Pakistani Embassy as they all looked at the boarded-up building. “What do you think, Vilkas and Illia? Can you all figure out things from here, or do you need to get closer?”

“I believe I need to get closer,” Vilkas informed them.

“Let me try...give me a moment,” Illia said, closing her eyes and feeling the pull of magic. After about a minute, she shook her head. “No, I sense nothing here. That does not mean he is not here.”

Vilkas got out of the car and ran across the street, smelling as he walked the perimeter of the building. There were familiar smells, one in particular from that day they chased Salazar, but it could be anything. He never saw the man in order to connect with his scent.

“It is possible. There were familiar smells, but I am not sure it is even him.”

They drove to all the embassies, all with negative connections to magic and another with similar scents.

“I had a feeling he would not be using a spell on the place since he knows we are here,” Illia explained.

“And, the only building that was remotely familiar to me by scent was the first one we went to and the other with the metal fence.”

“Alright, the Pakistani Embassy first. It’s all we got and most private in regards to neighbors. I should have known it wouldn’t be as easy as I had hoped. I will take the first watch at the Embassy tonight with Illia since she can feel him.”

“Sounds good. Vilkas and I will take over in the morning.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illia and Oz had a quick dinner and pulled up across and a block down the street from the Pakastani Embassy to wait in hopes of Salazar making an appearance.

As Oz was watching the building, he suddenly felt light touches on his neck. “Illia, this probably isn’t the best time,” he chuckled.

“Sorry, I just cannot keep my hands off of you. I will behave. I do not want us distracted either. I...just wanted to touch you, is all.”

He gave her a quick knowing smile before turning his eyes back to the building and grabbed her hand to kiss it and hold it. He wished he could have met her under different circumstances, not having to worry about a killer so he could spend more time with her. It was a sudden awakening for him, realizing for the first time he struggled with women because he never really found the right one—one he wanted to make time for and be with. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing either. She was going to leave when this was all over, and he would be right back where he started, though he decided to enjoy her while he could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illia had fallen asleep, and Oz let her. There was nothing she needed to do until they spotted someone coming in and out of the building. He was getting tired himself and opened his thermos to drink a large sip of coffee going cold, but at least it was caffeine. Stakeouts were one of the worst parts of the job, calling parents about their dead child was at the top of the list, though.

They were still trying to find out who the girl was that the killer dumped. No word yet as to anyone reported missing that matched the girl’s description, though it was also hard to tell with the body being completely destroyed. 

Oz was so lost in thought and focused on the building that he didn’t hear or feel anything when he found his body completely frozen, unable to move. For a quick second, he thought Illia was playing a joke on him with one of her spells, not that she was the type to do such a thing. But he could see out of the corner of his eye that she was still sleeping. He tried to call out to her, but nothing came. Panic started to set in at the realization that the only logical explanation was that the killer must be nearby. Nervous sweat formed on his brow as it dripped down his face, knowing in the back of his mind that it was Salazar. 

_He’s used his spell on me! I hope he hasn’t paralyzed her also. Fuck! We are dead if I can’t get out of this!_

He tried to grunt at Illia, with only small noises coming out, but not enough to wake her. He paid attention to what he was feeling. He had a sense of touch as he could feel the sweat from fear trickle down his neck. His heart was beating so forcibly against his chest; he could almost hear it, knowing what his victims felt like the first time they met Salazar.

“Hello, Detective.” Oz’s stomach lurched at the sound of the man’s voice. “I feel so honored that you have found me. I was beginning to wonder if you had any brains at all, but then I knew it was the young lady here that probably did all the work for you. Is that not right? I am sure her werewolf friend helped as well as they are quite intuitive creatures. Though I am disappointed you found the wrong house.” The voice was deep and smooth with a similar accent to Illia’s and Vilkas’.

_Werewolf? Vilkas?_

Oz was facing forward and tried to look at the man but couldn’t see him except out of the corner of his eye, which really didn’t tell him much other than he was now young.

Salazar gently drew his fingers on her soft skin on her face. “I think I will be taking her now. No, do not get up,” he chuckled humorlessly. “She does not have quite the aura I am looking for, but she is lovely, is she not? I was watching you two, and I can tell you are both taken in by each other. It is quite charming, really, and I am sorry I have to end it.”

Fear coursed through Oz’s body. Not for himself, but for Illia. There was no way he could protect her and stop this man from doing what he wanted to her. He was so angry; tears started to well up at his helplessness.

“Do not worry, Detective. She is in good hands. And I know what you are thinking...no I will not kill you. You are not what I want with your ugly and useless orange-yellow aura. You mean nothing to me, and I have absolutely no interest in you. You are useless as she has clearly done all your work for you. Goodbye, Detective. By the time you find her, it will be too late.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Oz could see Illia lifted out of the car as if by magic. He couldn’t tell if she was awake or still sleeping if he paralyzed her or not. Most likely as she would be offering much more of a challenge. 

_Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: A touch of romance and werewolves.


	21. Bonding of Tormented Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Illia was taken, Vilkas and Charlie are unaware of what is happening as they finally connect. Vilkas secret is finally revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content thus NSFW.
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! It means the world! <3

_ Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 27th, 2018 _

Vilkas got out of the shower to the sounds of some strange music. He had heard music all over the place since he had been in this realm. Everyone seemed to be listening to it, but he had yet to hear her play any. It was a strange harmony of sounds that beat with some screeching sounds that weirdly worked together. It had some sort of male bard singing, but Vilkas could not understand the words. 

He walked into the kitchen full of delicious smells as he watched her sway her hips to the music and heard her singing along, stirring something in a pot. He was not crazy about the music, but watching her dance to it made him love it.

She was wearing a small dark-blue t-shirt and a pair of white shorts, seeing for the first time the scars on her legs from when she was crushed in the car as a child.

He enjoyed her company, already getting tired of wanting her from afar, feeling the strong pull since feeling her desires the previous day. But he was now too afraid to make a move on her, unsure if she would accept him. He overheard her talking to Oz earlier today with her thinking about being intimate with him, but he was still tentative. It still did not mean she would say 'yes' to him. Though he did quite enjoy watching her move to the music, singing, as he leaned in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, with a smile on his face.

She turned around to do something when she saw him standing there. She screamed out, not knowing he was standing there watching, and placed a hand on her heart as if it could magically steady it. "Good lord, Vilkas. You scared me!" she yelled, blushing at being caught dancing and singing, though she was also laughing at her overreaction. "Well, if you're going to scare small women, you are just going to have to dance with me."

"You may be small, but you are not easily frightened. And I do not know how to dance," he said, finding himself embarrassed at the very idea.

"Don't you dance where you are from?" she asked as she got close to him, swaying her hips. She grabbed one of his hands to wrap around her waist and his other hand within her own. Draping her free hand around his shoulder, she forced him to move with her as she laid her head on his chest.

He blew out an embarrassed laugh. "Yes, there is dancing, but I do not normally dance, no. Though, I am quite sure it is different from what you have here. Quite different than what we are doing now."

"All it is about is moving the body through music. You don't have to be an expert...just feel it." She pulled him closer to her as she showed him how to sway to the music while holding her. 

He felt her thighs move into his own in tandem to the music sending waves of inappropriate thoughts. If she had let him, he would have lifted her and carried her to the bedroom to do unspeakable things to her in the name of Dibella. But he held back and let her lead him to move with her, satisfied he could at least hold her though he felt strange and awkward with the dancing

Charlie looked up at him with a crooked smile, amused that she got him to dance, but the look in his eyes was full of fire and told her he wanted something entirely different. She found herself blushing and in the same situation as yesterday, where she was deciding to push him away or let him take her right there on the kitchen floor. 

Instead of pushing him away, she found her toes stretching to reach to him of their own accord, chin turning her lips upwards towards his, but he was just too tall. 

Not understanding what she was doing at first, he finally got a clue and bent his head down, reaching for her lips with his. He could hear her heart beat faster in anticipation, as was his, palm sweating in her hand. Her pretty eyes, more gray than blue, closed as his face reached closer to hers when they finally met. He moaned into her mouth in relief he was finally kissing her.

It was gentle and soft, unhurried as their lips tentatively got to know each other. Vilkas closed his eyes and inhaled her pleasant scent, a combination of some flower, musk, and the dinner she was making. He was pleased to finally kiss her, not wanting to let her go. They were still swaying to the music as their tongues met, getting a bit more heated. It was the boiling and popping of cooking fluids all over the stove that decided their fate.

After dinner, Charlie and Vilkas sat on her sofa to relax and sip on a bit of wine. They didn't have too much as they had to be up early in the morning to replace Oz and Illia to stake out the Embassy. He could still sense her desires, but she was doing nothing about it, so he did nothing as well. All he could think about was their kiss and wondered if she was thinking the same thing, more inappropriate thoughts slip through his mind. 

_ I Yank her legs towards me; she is surprised as I lift her, so her lips meet mine. I taste wine and dinner on her lips and tongue. It's warm, and I want more of it… _ Vilkas stopped his little fantasy before he did anything about it.

Vilkas could sense her staring at him, but he kept his eyes on his glass of wine as a pathetic attempt at distraction. It did not help that she insisted he stay in her bed last night—that it helped with her nightmares. He had to admit it helped him too, but it was nearly impossible to keep his hands to himself, especially in the morning. He wanted to wrap his arms around her as she slept. He found the need to relieve himself when he showered, though it was not satiating enough. _ It will be especially hard now that we shared a kiss.  _

"Tell me, Vilkas, what are the women in your country like? If your country is anything like ours from our past, I'm assuming they are treated horribly...treated as if they are weak and useless objects. Women today have it better, but it can still be a struggle." Her question, gratefully, distracted him from thoughts that were sure to push him into action.

Vilkas chuckled at the imagery of weak women in Skyrim. "Perhaps we do have some weak women where I am from, but there are weak men as well. Just do not let any of the Skyrim women hear you say that. Our women are strong. Many are almost as good with the sword as I am, even if they do wear dresses, but many women wear armor as I do. They are mercenaries, mages like Illia, assassins, merchants, run military campaigns, soldiers, court advisers, rule countries...even my own group of warriors have several women I would never dare cross. No, our women are strong. That does not mean criminals do not try to rape them or kill them...it happens."

"That's...impressive and not what I expected at all."

He shrugged. "Our world can be ruthless, and we have all adapted to survive."

"Ours can be very cruel too, but now we have so many horrible weapons, people starving while we do nothing...I try not to think about it, or else I go crazy. I try to focus on my job and stop murderers one at a time, but I wish I could do more."

"It is an honorable job, Charlie. No one can do everything to make both of our worlds better places. We just do what we can."

She thought about his words, and it strangely gave her a different view of Vilkas. She would have loved to know the women of his world. The thought made her smile.

He stood up and reached out his hand to her. "Come on; we should get some rest."

Charlie grabbed his hand as he lifted her off the couch as if she weighed nothing and both headed to her bed.

It didn't take Vilkas long to fall asleep, but for Charlie, it was another story. Sleep was not finding its way to her as she watched him, thinking about the kiss they shared earlier and about Oz and Illia.  _ If Oz was OK with this, then why can't I be? _

She knew the biggest problem would be getting attached and him eventually leaving. That would be a struggle for her. But if they kept things simple, perhaps it would be something she could work through. Not that it mattered, she supposed. Regardless of them not even being intimate, she was already getting attached to him. She was getting used to him helping her through her pain and nightmares like no one else had been able to do before, not even Oz. She understood how Vilkas felt when he met her and didn't want to separate from her.

She reached out tentative fingers and lightly touched his lips, imagined kissing them again. They felt soft under her fingers, such a contrast to the coarse texture of his face that seemed to have a perpetual beard, despite him shaving.

He felt light touches on his lips, tickling them, which woke him up. He knew it was her touching him as he felt her strong desires coursing through his own, wanting her as she wanted him, waiting for her to say yes. He rolled over to face her and lightly touched her face in return. Vilkas ran his finger down her long scar, which was as much a part of her as her fingers and toes. 

Neither said a word as they let it all happen. He moved his face to hers, thinking of nothing else other than tasting her lips again, pulling her closer into his body. Inserting his tongue into her mouth, she was ready for him as their tongues connected and explored, boiling over to something more hungry and primal. 

She felt the pull of her hair throwing her head back, exposing her neck for his delicate, heated kisses and nibbles, hoping he would—that feeling of giving up control without having to actually lose it. 

He sat her up so he could remove her clothes.  _ They have to be off immediately _ . Roughly pulling her shirt off, he then found himself hindered by her breast band, but it was different than he was used to. He couldn't figure out how to remove it, so he started pulling and tugging, growling in frustration.

"Wait, I will do it," she giggled breathlessly at his fumblings, feeling like a teen, and this was their first time as she expertly unhooked her bra from the back and let it slip off.

Once Charlie's breasts were free, he wasted no time with attention to them. He suckled, bit, nibbled, twirled his tongue, unable to get enough of them. She instinctively arched her breasts further into his mouth, moaning and feeling herself getting ready for him between her legs. 

His shirt was already off as she ripped the covers back to remove his boxers and grasped him in her hand, feeling its pulsing heat as the tip moistened. She inwardly moaned, barely able to contain herself from shoving him inside of her. Before she could do anything about it, Vilkas ripped off her lacy underwear as if they were made of paper and lifted her onto his chest. She ignored the fact that those were her favorite pair of underwear he destroyed.

Lifting her over his head like a rag doll, she almost fell over as he shoved his face into her wet folds, straddling him and bracing herself against her headboard with hands splayed and nearly wept at his attentions. He was just as aggressive with her bud as he was with her breasts, the feeling making her want to fully sit on his face.

She felt the light twisting and pulling on her nipples as she braced herself. The feeling caused a warmth to travel from her face straight down to her toes, making them curl. She could feel his strangely warm tongue digging into her then back to attending her bud with a firm tongue until she could take no more. The heat built up straight to her bud, sensing she was near as rational thought disappeared. She groaned loudly as she exploded in his mouth, pulsing over his tongue as he lapped it all up, feeling the rumblings of a growl into her from him enjoying her pleasure, sending strange vibrations through her.

He sat up and deftly lifted her on top of him as he gently inserted himself into her warmth and wetness, making him close his eyes and moan at the feeling. He rested his head into her neck for a moment so he could focus on how she felt around him. 

She reeled, and her head went back, slightly out of it, still in her orgasmic fog. Vilkas held her sitting up and thrust into her as she tried to move with him, somewhat out of sync for a moment before they found their rhythm. Grabbing a fistful of hair with one hand, pulling her head back, he nibbled on her neck and ears as he pumped into her. He played with her breast on his other hand as she held on tight for the ride.

When he felt the familiar warmth spread through him, he moved her onto her back, legs off the bed as he spread her and thrust deeper and faster. Shoving her legs back, he kept pushing until he could not take anymore, trying to pull out before exploding inside of her, but she held him in for she was protected. His body shuddered, and he exhaled a shaky breath, barely able to keep himself from falling on top of her and crushing her. When he pulled out, he stumbled and fell back onto his butt, and instead of getting up, he just fell on his back, sprawled on the floor, still shaking.

Charlie peaked over the bed laughing at him in all his weakness. Climbing on top of his stomach, she bent down to kiss him as he could barely rub along her waist with his hands. "I didn't know I had a superpower to make men weak at my very touch," she giggled when she pulled away.

"Aye...you are going to kill me, woman," was all he could mutter as he pulled her down to lie with him and held her tightly. 

Eventually, they made their way back into her bed as they entwined their bodies together, quickly falling asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie and Vilkas woke up to an incessant loud banging on her door. She got up, quickly threw on her robe, grabbed her Glock, and ran to the door sensing some an emergency. Looking out her peephole, she could see Oz standing out there looking stressed and etched with worry.

Oz rushed in as soon as she opened the door. "Why aren't you answering your damn phone! He's got her! He's got Illia!" He paced back and forth, not knowing what to do.

"Oz! Settle down...tell me what's going on?!"

That was when he saw Vilkas coming out of her room. Something snapped in Oz as he rushed the large man, slamming him against the wall and arm pinned against his throat. "And you keeping secrets from us! Is it true? Are you some fucking werewolf?!" 

"Calm down, Oz! What the fuck are you doing?" Charlie demanded, pulling him off of Vilkas, but he just shrugged her off. 

"Is it true? You some kind of fucking monster?"

Vilkas' eyes glowed yellow in anger, his beast wanting to lash out at Oz, but he held it back. He did not want to give the man more ammunition against him—prove to him that he was indeed a monster. He took a deep calming breath. "When have I ever given you a reason not to trust me? I have been on your side!"

"Since you fucking lied by keeping this from us! I bet you haven't even bothered to tell Charlie, have you?" Vilkas coming out of her bedroom did not go unnoticed.

Vilkas looked over at Charlie, seeing concern and uncertainty in her eyes. His look conveying the truth of Oz's accusations. Looking back at Oz, he decided to come clean.  _ She is going to fucking hate me. She will not understand.  _

"Aye, I am. Your reaction is the very reason I did not tell you. Illia does not know either. It is not something I show off. Where I come from, we are loathed...despised. We are killed on sight. There is a large group of people...some cult who hunt us down, torture us, kill us, put our heads on spikes for the world to see that we are evil. They do this because they believe their god demands it. So, no, I do not flaunt it. I hide it with every fiber of my being, and I control my beast, so it does not come out. I hate it. I want my beast gone, but I cannot! And you are here hating me for no reason other than your superstitions while Illia has been taken. Yes, I heard you. If anyone can find her, it is me. I know what she smells like. I was hired to protect her, and that is what I will do! So, you will let me go...now."

Oz loosened his grip on the man, realizing, once again, he was blaming Vilkas for something that was out of his control. Vilkas had given him no reason to mistrust him or lifted a finger to hurt Charlie; in fact, he seemed to care about her.

"I...I keep blaming you for things that aren't even your fault. I don't know why." Oz sat down on her sofa and rested his head in his hands, feeling drained.

"Because you need something to blame. Whatever...I am fucking used to it," Vilkas said blandly. He then reluctantly looked at Charlie again. The look on her face filled him with dread. He had lied to her, kept his truth from her, and she was hurt, angry.  _ I knew she would not understand. _

Shaking his head in sadness that their shared intimacy was over as quickly as it began. He growled loudly, grabbing his sword, and ran out the door with only his pants on to do his job to find Illia and protect her.

"Vilkas! Wait…!!!," she yelled out after him, but he just ran.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vilkas absorbed the colder evening as it drizzled rain on his bare skin. He would have enjoyed it had he not been so worried about Illia. He knew the embassies were not very far, so he just ran, remembering where each one was. He would keep searching the area until he caught her familiar scent. It would have been easier to change to his beast, but he knew that was too risky. He went to the Pakistani Embassy, where the stake-out was and caught her scent from where they were parked. Strangely her scent did not take him to that particular Embassy.

Her scent finally led him to another Embassy. He could not remember which one. It was massive, surrounded by a metal fence. As soon as he leapt over the fence, he drew his sword, getting ready for anything. She was definitely there. If she were alive or not, he did not know. He tried not to envision her being raped and tortured, but the painful images kept crawling through his mind, unasked for and unwanted.

There was also a lingering smell he recognized from the day they found the dead girl. He was not sure if it was him, but now the same smell was located along with Ilia's. It had to be the same person. Vilkas quietly tested every door and window around the building, but all were locked. He could break in easily enough, but he did not want to draw attention to himself.

Resigning to the fact he had no choice, he firmly gripped a door handle at the back of the house and used muscle to twist it open, breaking the lock. The noise was not too terrible, and he hoped that Salazar was somewhere else in the house and could not hear it as he quietly snuck in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Don't worry, Charlie. We will find them," Oz said, finally calm, as he was driving up through Embassy Row. She had been silent since Vilkas ran off in search of Illia, worried about him, worried about Illia, and angry with Oz.

"Please, Charlie…"

She looked at him with anger, then looked out the window again as they drove. She had never been angry with him before, and it was hard for her to grasp. He was one of the few people who understood her and knew everything about her. She knew everything about him, as well. They were great friends, but he let emotions for Illia cloud his judgment. Oz took everything out on Vilkas and forced him to run.

She saw the look in Vilkas' eyes. That look she knew she saw often enough—the look of disappointment, feelings of betrayal. She had seen it when she was pushed to talk about her past to boyfriends. Charlie wanted to be angry with Vilkas for hiding something so big from her, but who was she to say? She always hid her biggest secret. She understood it—hers was a different sort of monster, but a monster nonetheless. Vilkas was afraid he would see her disappointment and feelings of betrayal in her eyes. He may have seen just that. She was certainly shocked by the news, not quite sure she even really believed it. So, he ran after Illia, by himself, alone, instead of all of them together. 

"Charlie…"

"What! What do you want me to say, Oz? That you forced Vilkas to run and find Illia alone? We could have stood a much better chance of finding her together. Instead, you took all your anger and fear out on Vilkas. You let your feelings for Illia cloud your judgment. This is so unlike you, Oz. I get Vilkas lied, more like hide what he really is, but he has proven we can trust him, and now he cannot trust  _ us _ . I...I don't know what else to say to you. Let's just find them...preferably alive."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Illia wakes up face to face with a killer.
> 
> The song I was listening to quietly as I wrote the first scene of the story: 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktgqpEJsnHY


	22. In Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illia is face to face, alone, with a killer. Can Vilkas reach her on time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! You all are the best and I appreciate it so much!! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 27th, 2018_

Salazar quickly lost interest in the detectives working on his murder case. It was the young mage woman that he was now drawn to, knowing she was the one who was pulling strings and leading the detectives closer to his capture. 

_As if any of them could capture me_.

She had found him watching as the crime scene was investigated and chased after him. The young woman was not nearly as strong as he, but she had quite the potential, wondering where she had trained. 

_Certainly not the College of Winterhold. Those weak and pathetic mages who thought they knew so much when they really knew nothing._

Salazar found her beautiful as well. There was something about her that drew him, and it was not just her abilities or appearance. 

He was watching her sit in the car with the male Detective as they watched the Embassy, assuming that was where he was hiding, but they were wrong. Salazar watched as she touched the Detective lightly, and he grabbed her hand to kiss it. He wanted to kill the Detective right then, but got it under control. _It would appear they are now lovers. The Detective does not matter,_ he reminded himself.

Salazar wanted to reach out with his magic to see her aura, but he knew she would sense it. He would have to deal with her first before doing anything else. Take her out of the equation because she was his most significant threat.

When he felt enough time had passed and they were relaxed and comfortable, he cast his paralytic spell on her first. She had been sleeping and had no idea what hit her. Then he cast it on the Detective. Slowly he let what he did to the Detective process as he calmly approached the car on Illia's side and bent down to look into the open window. As she started to wake up, he was not ready for her soul to turn colors as he cast his Pacify spell on her. Her eyes glazed over as she calmed and fell back asleep.

"Hello, Detective. I feel so honored that you have found me. I was beginning to wonder if you had any brains at all, but then I knew it was the young lady here that probably did all the work for you. Is that not right? I am sure her werewolf friend helped as well as they are quite intuitive creatures. Though I am disappointed you all found the wrong house." 

He knew the Detective was struggling to move and say something, but the man was powerless. Salazar reached out to gently touch Illia's face and looked into her aura, curious as to what it looked like. Her aura was a deep and rich royal blue. Not quite what he was looking for, but it was powerful nonetheless. She was gifted and kind.

"I think I will be taking her now. No, do not get up," he chuckled humorlessly. "She does not have quite the aura I am looking for, but she is lovely, is she not? I was watching you two, and I can tell you are both quite taken in by each other. It is charming, really, and I am sorry I have to end it." He said this in a way indicating he was not sorry in the least.

Salazar could imagine what was going on in the mind of the Detective. There would be panic, anger, guilt, frustration. He hated the man's ugly aura.

"Do not worry, Detective. She is in good hands. And I know what you are thinking...no I will not kill you. You are not what I want with your ugly and useless orange-yellow aura. You mean nothing to me, and I have absolutely no interest in you. You are weak compared to her. You are useless as she has clearly done all your work for you. Goodbye, Detective. By the time you find her, it will be too late."

Salazar magically opened the car door and lifted the sleeping form out of it, moving her to his temporary home. He almost wanted her to wake up. Oh, how he loved to see her fear. It made him feel powerful that he could have so much control over someone's emotions.

In the basement, he placed her on a chair, bound to the floor as he tied up her hands and feet. Her scarred hands were bound into fists with duct tape to prevent her from casting should she wake up. Her head was slumped to her chest in sleep as he sat in another chair facing her, watching. He could have easily woken her up, but he just waited for the spells to wear off to have a quiet moment with her.

Her beautiful ebony hair spilled into her face as he reached out to tuck it away and touched her soft skin. Bending down in front of her, he pressed his lips to her sleeping ones. _So soft and delicate_. He looked forward to having her.

Salazar felt his restoration spell wearing off and cast it again. He didn't usually care about such things, but he wanted to be attractive to her for when she woke up.

After about 15 minutes, he could hear her stir awake and try to move. 

She groaned as she lifted her head and tried to focus where she was. Eyes fluttering open, feeling like she was drugged as she slowly started to become more lucid. She tried to move but found herself unable to with bound hands and feet. That was when panic set in as her eyes went wild, looking around to see where she was. She quickly realized Salazar had taken her from the car and held her prisoner. Dread and fear formed in her stomach, realizing she was there so he could torture and kill her.

Her eyes focused on the man before her watching. He was young, with ebony black hair and cerulean blue eyes... _It can't be. No! It's impossible!_ She recognized him, not knowing him or having met him before, but she knew who he was as tears spilled out of her eyes. If she were a man, she would look just like him.

"Father," she spat out.

Salazar also looked at her strangely. He had not seen her eyes up close and had not seen his own youth in so long he had almost forgotten what he looked like. He soon realized he was looking at a female version of himself. He stood up abruptly, rushed to her, grabbed her hair to pull her head back, and looked deeper into her cerulean blue eyes, angry.

"Who is your mother, girl?!"

Illia did not know what came over her, but she just laughed humorlessly, looking up into his angry face. It was not funny in the slightest, but the whole irony of it all to find she had been chasing her own father the entire time. But it quickly turned to tears when she realized she was bred from pure evil—both of her parents. _This cannot be true. How can I be the way I am with two evil parents? What if I am genuinely evil inside? What if it comes out? Oz will hate me! I will hate myself—a_ wide range of emotions coursed through her. The very idea that he was her father made her sick, and she wanted to throw up right then.

"You look like me, but how can you possibly be my father? How could I possibly be born out of evil! I am nothing like you and Mother!"

"I will not ask you again. Who is your mother, girl?"

"Siliva," she spat out once more.

He reflected on the old woman. She was a lover from a long time ago. A time when they were younger, just starting to seek out their powers. Silvia was beautiful once in her youth, and he fell in love with her. He traveled a lot seeking out power, fame, and fortune and did not get to see her often, but he always made sure to seek her out when he was close by in his travels. 

The girl was at least in her late 20's, possibly 30, as he reflected back when he saw Silvia at that point in time. Not seeing her in years, but everything rekindled once he saw her again. _Touching everything on her skin, though she is getting older, she is still soft and beautiful. Touching, kissing, fucking for two days straight...29 years ago._

_Did she choose not to take her potions to get pregnant on purpose?_

Silvia never wanted to go with him so she could seek her own power, and he loved her for that. He left after the third day never to see her again until just over six months ago. They did not fuck, but they were tender while he told her of all his adventures, what he found, and what his plans were of immortality. If anyone understood and appreciated his efforts, it would have been Silvia. She was the only one he had ever cared for because she was just like him.

Illia watched all the memories cross his eyes that looked like hers as recognition and realization appeared in them.

"Did she tell you about me?! Did she tell you what I was doing?! Traitorous bitch!"

Illia found herself in hysterics again, laughing at his outburst despite knowing he could kill her right then. "She never once mentioned you to me. I assumed because of my nature, my father would have been a good man. Imagine my disappointment...clearly an understatement. You did not matter to her."

He was angry again and pulled her hair tighter. "How could you know such a thing if she never mentioned me?"

"I killed her and found her diary."

"She kept a journal of me...of what I am doing? Stupid fucking cunt! I trusted her! She deserved her fate then."

Illia just scoffed at the man. "Trust? You must be joking. Both of you are the epitome of evil. She would beat me until I learned a spell correctly. She destroyed my hands. And, you...well, clearly you are even worse, though not by much."

It was Salazar's turn to scoff. "Yes, you are so much better, I presume, with killing your own mother."

"To save lives! She was murdering innocent people and children!"

He let her hair go finally and started to pace, arms folded behind him, to think. "I knew there was something special about you. Only a daughter of mine could have found me and tracked me down to stop me. You are powerful, but it is untapped. Your 'good' heart is what prevents you from being more powerful. What is your name, girl?"

"I am just fine with that. I do not need more power. And why should you care what you call me? You are going to kill me anyway. I have seen your handiwork firsthand."

"No, not you. You are me, and I am you. I would sooner kill myself before I kill you. Name!"

Her brows furrowed, wondering what he was talking about and why suddenly he would not want to kill her. Surely she was a threat to him. "Fine... it's Illia."

"Illia…," he whispered. "Keeping up with Imperial ties, I see. So like your mother. I was surprised she would even bed a Breton such as myself."

"Keep talking about sex between you and my mother, and I am going to retch everywhere. Besides, she wanted power, and you offered that. That was all that mattered to her."

"Your mother should have told me about you. I would have raised you right. I would not have scarred your hands. You would have been powerful and beautiful!"

"You torture women, murder them, and you tell me you would not have scarred me or beat me?" She just shook her head. Her emotions were so all over the place she did not even know what to do with them all.

He waved a hand at her, indicating it did not matter. "They served a purpose only."

"Not with the last woman. You derived pleasure from her torture, sexually. You are a monster, and you would not have treated me any better."

Salazar wanted to slap her for her words, but she was right. He lost control with the last girl. She had turned him on, and he should not have had sex with her. Then he was aroused when he started hurting the girl. He had the same thoughts about his own daughter, disgusted with himself. "She was...a mistake."

Illia laughed at him. "So, you, the all-powerful Salazar, lost control? I am shocked, sir!" She was not sure why she was taunting him. It could mean her death if she was not more careful, but she was angry and wanted to lash out somehow and to maintain some control over her situation. _Maybe he will give me a quick death_.

He rushed at her, but he did not beat her as she expected. Instead, Salazar kneeled down and gently grabbed her face with both hands, looking into a mirror image of his eyes. "Yes, I lost control," he whispered. "I am losing my control now with you. I must have you, my beautiful daughter. I need you with me."

Illia felt her eyes well up with tears, letting them spill. It was not that his sudden tender words touched her; it was from disgust that this monster was her father. It was fear that he wanted her by his side. It was anger that she killed her mother to stop and escape evil only to find herself in the same situation with her father she did not even know she had.

"I do not think you understand when I told you why I killed Mother, dear _Father_! I was trying to stop the evil she was doing and escape that life. Now you are telling me you want me to go through that again?!" She was weeping now, angry.

"I heard you, girl. Would you still have done it had your mother been kinder?"

That gave Illia pause. _Would I have done it had she not beat me over the years? Would I have felt the same about what she did were she loving to me?_ Doubt crept through her confused mind. _Did I really do it only for me and not for the innocents? If so, that would make me no better than her._

Reading the emotions crossed her face, he knew she was doubting herself. "As I thought. It was hatred for your mother that drove you."

"No...no! I...I wanted no more deaths! I wanted no more sacrifices!"

"You're not very convincing, Illia."

"I…Please..."

"You just wanted her dead and gone so you could do what you wanted and be free."

"No…I…" 

He could see the confusion in her eyes as she doubted herself. If she realized what she did was for selfish reasons, he could convince her to stay with him. He would train her to be the most powerful witch and become immortal as he, never to leave his side.

Still holding her face, he looked her into her eyes to force her to look at him. "Yes, Illia, you did. You killed to save yourself, and there is nothing wrong with that. Now, you are here with me who will treat you like a goddess as you deserve, my daughter."

Illia pulled her face away, trying to get away from the truth of his words. He finally let go as she slumped her head and wept. The guilt was too much to bear. Her selfishness that she pawned off as a good deed disgusted her.

Illia and Salazar were so engrossed in one another; they did not hear Vilkas sneak up behind Salazar and slashed at his back with his sword, opening it up. Once Salazar fell to the ground bleeding profusely, Vilkas rushed over to Illia to untie her and cut away the tape on her hands with his dagger. But she refused to stand.

"Illia, we have to go. Now!"

But she just sat there, unmoving, ashamed, crying.

Vilkas growled at her. He heard what Salazar was trying to convince her of, and he did not have time to make her realize she was being manipulated. Deciding it was time to cut Salazar down, he held his sword high about to cut off the man's head when Salazar burst forth a paralysis spell, though weak due to blood loss and pain as Vilkas struggled to get loose.

Salazar brought forth a lightning spell at the same time, sending painful electric currents through Vilkas' body, making his immobile body writhe in pain. "Illia…" he said weakly. "Please…stop...him. He lied...to you…I heard. You are good...we love you. He does...not."

"Stop your lies, wolf! She is mine!" Salazar panted out from the pain and blood loss.

Vilkas finally lost control from all the pain as his beast took over. His body quickly changed as he screamed in pain and frustration, unable to control it. Soon his screams turned to roars, breaking loose from his painful bonds and slashed at Salazar, sending him flying painfully against a wall. 

Weakened, Salazar summoned all his strength and threw the beast against a wall using his telekinesis spell. The creature fell to the ground, dazed, with several broken bones and struggling to recover.

Illia watched as Vilkas tried to save her and attempted to kill Salazar. Something finally snapped when she saw Vilkas change and get slammed against the wall. The culmination of fear, anger, her father, doubt set her off. Tears cascaded down her face uncontrollably as she screamed to the rooftops—all her emotions fought against each other when unsummoned fireballs burst forth on palmed hands. Clapping hands together, she set the whole cellar in an explosion of fire, a spell she was never able to master until right then. The spell took everything out of her as she fell to the ground, passed out. 

Vilkas, back to his human form, naked, struggled to get up. Finally, crawling over to her, he slapped her face lightly to wake her up. Weak and injured, he was not quite strong enough to carry her.

"Illia...wake up! We have to get out of here! The whole place is going to burn down!"

Her eyes fluttered open and weakly stood up. Vilkas grabbed his sword, then they carried each other up the stairs and out of the cellar, getting burned with flames that were quickly spreading. Once they reached the top floor, he tried to pull her to get out the front door, but she held back.

"We have to find the staff and scroll before they burn!"

"There is no time! The place is going to burn up!"

"Unless you want to stay here forever or until the Eye finally wipes us out, we have no choice!"

Relenting, he nodded in agreement. They moved as fast as they could, struggling to breathe, through the burning house looking, searching. On the third level, the relics were quickly found, discarded on the floor unceremoniously as if they meant nothing to Salazar. Illia snatched them up as they ran, careful not to get burned or let the relics get destroyed.

The fire was quickly spreading up the stairs, blocking their path. Both of them coughing, the smoke becoming unbearable. Illia did not have much mana left from the last spell she cast, but it was building as she used a weak frost spell to give them enough room to work their way down the steps. 

Finally, making it to the first floor, the door was hot to the touch, surrounded by fire. Instead of finding another way out, Vilkas used his body to burst the door open, ignoring the fire on his skin, burning flesh. The burst of air renewed the fire's vigor as they both ran out the door, collapsing on the grass, coughing from all the smoke.

Vilkas finally passed out from the smoke, burning, pain, possibly a concussion, and who knew how many broken bones in his ribcage. Illia sat up on her knees, crying and coughing, pulling Vilkas to her to hold him. She was unable to heal him and prayed to all the gods he would not die as she watched as the fire consumed the entire building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raise your hand if you knew Salazar was Illia's father :)
> 
> Next: Everyone is trying to recover the aftermath.


	23. Licking Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is licking their wounds. Vilkas is injured, Illia is despondent, Oz and Charlie are worried about the two and their jobs. Salazar is on the run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Thoughts of suicide.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, commenting, and kudos! It means the world and keeps me truckin'! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 27th, 2018_

Oz and Charlie had been driving slowly around, hoping to catch a glimpse of Vilkas searching for Illia, but they had no such luck. They weren’t going to give up as they kept looking for the half-naked man with a sword strapped to his back.

They must have driven around Embassy Row for a good 30 minutes when they saw it. A great fire at one of the Embassies, unsure of which one it was. Oz quickly called dispatch for the Fire Department as they raced towards it, knowing the likelihood of Illia and Vilkas involved was high.

Oz stopped the car when he saw Illia sitting on her knees in the grass, watching the fire. _Illia...she’s alive. Thank God!_ He rushed to her side to see if she was OK when he saw Vilkas passed out or dead, naked for some reason, with his head on her lap. Illia was still sobbing, unable to control all the emotions she faced tonight, not even acknowledging Oz and Charlie.

Charlie had rushed over to check on Vilkas to see if he was still breathing or dead. When she found a pulse, she felt a wave of relief as she told Oz to call an ambulance for the two.

“No doctors,” Illia demanded, still sobbing and not looking at either of them.

“Illia, we have to get you all treated. You are all covered in burns, and Vilkas is clearly in need of medical care,” Oz said gently.

“No doctors! I will heal him, but I have to wait for...my energy to return. We will take him to Oz’s, where I have potions to restore myself.”

Oz and Charlie looked at each other, wondering if they should comply or just call for help.

Illia sensed their hesitation. “He heals fast regardless; they will know and hurt him. They will not be forgiving if they know what he is.”

“So, you know, then?” Charlie asked.

Illia simply nodded. “He changed tonight and saved my life...or thought he had.” She put her hands to her face and wept. “He should have just left me to burn.”

She was clearly distressed, so Oz decided to wait before they questioned her as to what happened. He knew this was going to be one massive shit storm and wasn’t sure how he was going to explain it all. But he had to know…

“Is he dead, Illia?”

“We left him bleeding and burning, but I do not know. Someone like that does not die easily.”

“Illia, what did you mean...he should have left you to burn?”

Illia just ignored him, done talking. She did not want to talk to anyone—to be alone. She wanted to die, but she had to heal Vilkas first. He was all that mattered. 

She gently moved Vilkas’ head and got up to walk to Oz’s car. Oz tried to help her up, but she shrugged him off, not wanting to be touched. Getting in the back, she just sat there, head resting on the window as depression set in.

Charlie and Oz struggled to carry Vilkas’ dense form into the car, but they finally managed. Once they got to Oz’s apartment, Illia helped carry Vilkas as well, and they finally got him to the bed Illia had been using.

Opening her pack, Illia grabbed a couple of bottles of her mana potions that she had remaining and drank both of them. Feeling the mana swell in her body and her magic fully restored, she placed warm, glowing hands all over Vilkas’ body, starting with the broken bones. 

Oz and Charlie watched her heal Vilkas, cringing when they heard bones snapping back into place. She spread her hands through his skin, watching the blistering and bleeding skin stitch together and renew itself as if he was never burned. Moving one hand to his chest, she cleared his lungs of the smoke he had inhaled. Last, she wrapped hands around his head to rid him of the concussions.

She knew that whatever she missed, he would heal himself. He was now out of danger. She had some mana left as she treated her own burns and cleared her own lungs. When she was done, she was entirely spent once more and exhausted. Curling up on a large, cushioned chair, not caring she was covered in ash and soot, she watched over Vilkas and waited for her body to restore itself.

Charlie went to sit down on the bed next to Vilkas, brushing his tangled hair out of his face and covered his nakedness with a blanket. Stripping off her shoes, she climbed into bed next to him as he recovered, waiting for him to wake up.

Oz bent down next to Illia and placed a delicate hand on her shoulder. There was clearly something wrong with her. Something that traumatized her, yet Salazar never tortured her for some reason. “Illia…please tell me what happened. What’s going on? Why are you so despondent?”

Tears fell out of her eyes once more, but she didn’t say anything. “Illia…”

“Leave me alone.”

He knew something horrible happened to her, but he couldn’t help but feel stung by her words. _Probably angry with me for not protecting her_. Removing his hand from her shoulder, he stood up and headed to the kitchen to grab himself something to drink. Pouring a whiskey and coke, he quickly downed it and poured another.

Tomorrow was going to be rough as he knew he would struggle to explain what happened tonight to the Chief. Explain why the Iranian Embassy burned down to the ground. The Chief will most likely have to call in the FBI to investigate. _What a fucking mess! He_ thought moodily as he downed his drink once more. He poured another, skipping the coke entirely, grabbed the bottle of liquor, and went to sit on the sofa in defeat.

_I’m going to have to send Illia and Vilkas back to their world if Salazar is genuinely dead. I have to protect them from what is undoubtedly to come. Charlie and I will probably be fired. Fuck!_

If Salazar is still alive, they would all truly be fucked. Feeling the buzz from the Whiskey, he downed his glass again. He was going to be hungover in the morning, and he didn’t give a shit. The whole case was a shit-show. He kept blaming Vilkas when things went wrong, he couldn’t protect Illia, and his own partner was furious with him. He fucked things up royally. He cursed himself as the alcohol gave way to drowsiness to eventually passing out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 28th, 2018_

Oz woke up to bright sunshine and a raging headache. He knew he drank too much last night, and when one is drinking, they don’t care about the consequences until the next morning. He tried to sit up, but a wave of nausea hit him as his head spun and laid back down. Smacking his dry and parched mouth, it tasted horrible, and the need to brush his teeth almost overrode the pain in his head. 

_If I don’t move at all, I will be OK._

He felt a warmth spread through his body, sending tingles through his skin as his headache quickly vanished, and he had no more nausea. He could see a glowing hand grasping his arm gently as he looked to see who the owner of said hand was, knowing it was Illia.

“Feel better?”

Nodding, he mumbled a thanks and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “How’s Vilkas?”

“He is fine and curled up with Charlie, both of whom are sleeping. I left to give them some privacy.”

He could barely look at her, the guilt was so overwhelming, but he owed her his apology, for what it was worth. “I...I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you, Illia. I wanted to protect you, but I...I just couldn’t fight him. I tried to find you...but, I...I got angry at Vilkas about his lying about who he is. Losing the one person we needed to find you. It’s all my fucking fault!” He rubbed his face with his hands to hide his shame.

“Is that why you think I am not talking about what happened? That I am upset with you?”

He peaked up at her out of the corner of his eye with uncertainty. “It’s not?”

She got up off the coffee table she had been sitting on and went to sit on the other end of the couch. “If only it were that simple,” she replied vaguely.

Oz sat up to sit close to her and hold her hand, but when he picked it up, she snatched it away. It was not anger for him, but for herself. The whole evening ran through her head all into the early morning hours, barely sleeping. She did not want him to get close to her. She feared he was going to hate her, and she was reluctant to tell him who she was. The fear of unintentionally hurting him with her uncontrolled power was overwhelming.

“It looks like you’re angry with me.”

She looked at him sharply. “Not everything is about you.” She regretted her harsh words to a man who was already feeling guilty, but she had more important things to deal with than his pride.

“Fair enough. Then why don’t you tell me what’s going on, Illia.”

“You want to hear the bad part or the worst part first?”

“Why don’t you just start from the beginning after you were taken.”

She did not want to talk about any of it, but she resigned herself, knowing he would keep asking until she did. “When I woke up from his spell, it was facing a young man who looked like...the male version of myself. Salazar is my father, which explains why he was in my mother’s journal. You can imagine my shock, horror, anger...so many emotions.”

Oz looked away in shock. _No wonder she’s the way she is right now_. “Are you sure about this, Illia? Maybe he just looks similar or…”

“No, it is him. I never met him, and my mother never talked about him, but I look just like him from the hair to the eyes.”

“Christ… So, what now?”

“What now? I am not even done with the rest of it! Oh, I have not even gotten to the best fucking part yet!”

“Sorry...go on.”

“Suddenly, Salazar is filled with fatherly love as if he is the best man in the world. He wants me to be by his side. He was actually angry my mother beat me,” she scoffed at the very idea Salazar could feel anything at all. “Can you believe that? He said if he had known I existed, he would have treated me better and taught me to be more powerful.”

“He wants you to kill with him? Is he fucking insane?!”

Illia’s eyes welled with tears once more at the thought of what she and Salazar discussed. “He thinks I am like him. He asked me a question. He asked me if...if my mother had not beaten me, would I still have killed her and the coven despite what they did?”

_Manipulative bastard_. “Are you questioning your motivations? Are you actually believing you did it only to help yourself and for no other reason?”

“Did I not? The question posed was, would I have thought differently about her had she been kind. Would I have still killed her despite the sacrifices? I...I do not know if I would have...had she loved me.” Hands to her face, she wept, but she pressed on. “I thought all this time I was doing some good, but was that a lie I told myself? I believed my father was a good man before I knew who or what he was, for how could I care about others when my mother was so vile? How could I possibly be a good and caring person being born from two evil people? I...I must be like them. I am going to turn into one of them...”

Oz reached over to hold her, but she fought him. She did not want his touches. She did not deserve them and was afraid to hurt him. “No! Let me go! I do not deserve…He should have let me burn! You do not understand! I almost killed us all! I could not control what I was feeling, which culminated into a pure rage...I...I do not know what happened. I just...snapped, and everything was set into a massive, fiery explosion. A good person does not do that! I am a threat! I am a danger to everyone around me!”

He held her firm, now realizing why she was so resistant to him, feeling like an idiot that he believed it was all about him. “I’m not letting you go. Stop squirming and listen for a moment...please!”

“NO! I will kill you all!” she finally wailed out, crying uncontrollably.

“No, you won’t! Please…stop!”

She finally let him hold her, crying loudly, but she was stiff and unyielding. “Listen, please. Illia, your father is a deranged killer, but he’s smart. He has clearly manipulated you…”

“He was not…”

“Let me finish. First, just because both of your parents are assholes, doesn’t make you one. People aren’t born evil, Illia. They are born inherently good. It’s life that makes us good or evil. Who knows how you would have turned out had you been raised by both parents. But you weren’t. You were raised by your mother, who beat you. Had she not beat you, would that have made you a different person? Certainly. That doesn’t make you less caring. What drove you that day to kill her?”

“She...wanted…”

“Did she beat you? No, there was an innocent she wanted you to get so she could kill them. That is what motivated you into action. Please, please don’t let his manipulative words get in your head, Illia. You are an incredibly kind and caring person. There is nothing evil about you. Besides, so what if you killed her because she beat you? I don’t condone murder, but many many people have done so from abuse...it doesn’t make them evil either.

As for what you did in that house, I know that power scared the shit out of you. But from what you told me, you reacted to Vilkas getting hurt. You wouldn’t have done that were you evil or something wrong with you. Evil people don’t help others. You lost control, sure, but that doesn’t make you a bad person.”

“And what if it happens again? I could kill all of you! I almost killed Vilkas!”

“But you didn’t kill him. Now that you know what you can do, that is the first step in learning control, is it not?”

Illia finally melted into him with his words. Despite what he told her, it did not calm her fears about what she could do. She heard what he was saying, but the pain could not just magically disappear.

She cried into him from the pain when she felt other hands upon her. She looked up to see Vilkas and Charlie both reassuring her after overhearing her story.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later that afternoon, Oz got the dreaded call from his Chief. _Here we go_ …

“Oz! Why aren’t you here at the station? You have work to do, son.”

“I know, we just had…”

The Chief cut him off. “Nevermind! Listen, we got the report from that fire last night. That was Salazar’s hideout, right?”

Oz sighed loudly on the phone, waiting for the shoe to drop. “Yes, it was. We found him on a...stakeout.”

“Good, good. Well, it turns out the fire was set on purpose by him due to some electrical current of some sort. The Fire Department did an investigation as to the cause. It looks like he was burning evidence of his crimes since you were getting too close.”

Oz looked at his phone as if it was the object of this insanity. “Did...did I hear you…”

“The bad news is, no body was found...we should be so lucky. Your man is still out there, unfortunately. But we know now he’s out there licking his wounds and finding a new place to hide. You at least have him on the run, and that means he will make mistakes. Good job! Let’s keep him on his toes, OK?”

“Uhm, OK...yes, sir.”

Oz hung up and looked as if a giant cloud lifted over his head. He couldn’t believe it. He thought it was over for him and Charlie, that they would be fired, the FBI would take over, and they would have to rush Vilkas and Illia back to wherever they came from. There was still the matter of finding Salazar, but at least there were a few less things to worry about.

Illia came up behind him and gently put a hand on his shoulder. “Is everything alright?”

He reached for her hand to kiss it. “Yes. Yes, it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I owe another shout-out to Vokunkendov for all her hard work in reading my material to make sure everything works and flows. <3
> 
> Next: Some of our friends are recovering while others are not with talks of werewolves.


	24. Slow Recoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas and Charlie have the talk about what he is. Illia and Oz struggle after everything with Salazar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content, thus NSFW.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! It means everything! <3

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - June 30th, 2018_

_Vilkas and Charlie_

They all took a couple of days off to recover mentally and physically, even though Salazar was still at large. Charlie and Vilkas were at her apartment, lying in bed, facing each other as he played with her hair. He was much better but was still regaining his strength.

“I think I’ve let you recover long enough, Vilkas.”

“What do you mean?” He knew where this was going, and he did not want to talk about it, but he knew he could not avoid it any longer. Yet he was happy she still wanted to be by his side, having never left it since he returned injured. _If she hated me, I know I would not be here right now lying with her._

“You know what I mean. Don’t play passive-aggressive. We need to talk about you and what you kept hidden from us.”

“You know why I did.” He had hoped that night when he explained his reasoning for keeping his beast from them would have been enough. He should have known Charlie would press him for a more thorough answer.

“Did you think I would freak out or something...get upset?”

“Would you not? Most people do, and they are not wrong to be afraid.”

She traced his face with delicate fingertips. She trusted him enough to know that if he had explained it all before, she would have freaked out a bit, but she would have come around. “Why don’t you tell me about it then?” When he wouldn’t respond, she pressed. “Come on, Vilkas, I told you my deepest, darkest secret. Do you really think I wouldn’t understand?”

“Yes...you are not a monster.”

“Neither are you.”

“I am what they say I am,” he said as he rolled onto his back and pushed his hair away from his face, unable to look at her. “When we turn, we become beasts. We are strong and can defeat our enemies, but it makes us...feed. I...I do not like it. I do not want to feed. I control it, but it is not without difficulty. It is easier here in your realm for me, for some reason, but the beast lingers in the back of my mind, constantly growling and clawing at me to get out. It was quite strong the day you were shot, but I forced it back with great difficulty.”

“So, none of this ‘change during a full moon’ crap then?”

He looked at her in confusion. “What?”

“There are legends about werewolves, and they say that werewolves change only during a full moon.”

“Your legends are wrong. I can change at will, if I so choose, which I do not. If you have legends here, perhaps you still have werewolves or used to.”

“If we did, we probably would have heard about them by now. Hard to keep secrets in this day and age of being flooded with information. Silver?”

“Yes, silver can hurt us. It keeps us from healing and can possibly kill us. The Silver Hand is the cult I told you about that hunts us; tortures us using silver weapons. Some beasts forget their humanity and are true monsters. Maybe they should be put down, but who am I to say? The Silver Hand is just another form of monster. They relish with glee in the torture and call it their gods-given duty.”

“I think there are always groups of people like that. They do whatever they can to justify their need for violence and hate.”

“Aye. The Companions are especially hated for some reason...my guild of warriors. I do not know why for certain, but rumors have indicated they were a part of the Companions once and were denied the beast blood and banished for their cruel ways. It is why they retaliate against us so fiercely. We control ourselves, but the Silver Hand has a special hatred for us, so the rumors may be true. It cannot be just that we are beasts.”

She thought about what he was telling her, understanding why he wanted to keep what he was a secret. “Did you change willingly, Vilkas, or was this forced upon you?”

Looking at his furrowed brow and reluctance to answer, she knew he chose it.

“I chose it. I am part of the Circle. There are five of us, and to do so, one must change. My brother and I did it together. We were excited at first...to be fearsome and strong in battle. It was encouraged. My brother and I were fine with it until our Harbinger; he is sort of a leader, came to all of us, and told us how werewolves in the Companions came to be. It was a betrayal. We were not meant to be beasts, but warriors only. Tricked by a bunch of vile witches. Our Harbinger has a desire to rid himself of his beast as he gets older because…”

She could sense his hesitation to continue. She caressed his face with her hand to put him at ease and let him know he could trust her. “Please finish and tell me.”

“I don’t know. You and your people believe something entirely different than what we do. You seem to believe in one god, while we believe in many...9 to be specific. Not just that, but there are…”

“So, you believe something different. It makes no difference to me. I’m not religious, Vilkas.”

“Then, you will not believe it at all.”

“What does it matter then if you tell me?”

Resigned to push with his story, he told her. “Our Harbinger wants to die and go to Sovngarde. That is where great warriors go when they die. It is a place of great honor. But none of us can go there as beasts. 

There are many Daedric Princes, who are not quite gods, but they are almost as powerful, and they meddle in our affairs. Werebeasts are specifically the pets of Hircine in particular. The Daedric Prince of the hunt. When we die, we are forced to be his pets and hunt in eternity and under his control, losing our will, as beasts...to hunt innocents if Hircine so chooses. Not only were we tricked, but forced into something most of us do not want for our afterlife. Sure, many would love nothing better than to hunt for eternity. I am not one of them.

When I found out about all this, I was...angry. It took me a long time to control my beast when before I would let it out frequently. It has been difficult. My brother seems to be unaffected and takes to calming his beast quite easily. Perhaps it is the nature between us. I remember the pain and torture of our youth, and he is not plagued with such horrible memories.”

“Daedric Princes? They sound like they could be the demons they talk about here. I don’t believe in such things, but they could be similar. 

Though I wish you came to us sooner about this, thank you for telling me and trusting me. I think if you told us, we would have eventually been fine with it. We accepted Illia OK. But we should have known in case something happened and you couldn’t control it...to understand how to handle you.”

“I understand. I would not have hurt you regardless had I changed...none of you. My beast recognizes who the enemy, who is a friend, and who is...food is.”

Charlie leaned into him and planted gentle kisses all over his face. “You...you are OK with me the way I am? Not...afraid?” he asked, despite her actions telling him otherwise.

“It’s strange and feels weird; I’m not going to lie. It’s like right out of some horrible teen romance novel, not expecting to find myself actually in one, but I trust you. If you say you can control it, then you can. You have given us no reason not to trust you. I know you changed in front of Illia, but you did that to help her, right?”

“Well, in a way. I did lose control due to all the pain inflicted upon me. I had to get out of the hold Salazar had on me. My beast forced its way out to do just that. While I lost control, I also did not try that hard to stop it. But it takes quite a bit to make me lose control.”

“I see. Well, I trust you not to hurt me.”

He pulled her in close to him and held her as she wrapped her body around him. “Thank you, Charlie. I have grown quite fond of you, and I am not sure how I would have taken it had you hated or feared me.”

“I don’t fear you nor hate you.”

“I want you…” he whispered in her neck.

It was so strange that three simple words could actually fill her with heat and desire, feeling it spread between her legs. It always felt good to feel wanted by someone else. He could sense her flood of excitement as he pressed his lips to hers, running a hand up her shirt and along her back, pleased she was not wearing one of those horrible breast bands. Her tongue found his as their kiss became heated and passionate. She watched his eyes flash from silvery to golden back to silver.

She pulled her lips away for a moment. “Vilkas…?”

“Hmmm?” He responded between kisses on her chin and down her throat.

“Does your beast come out...during...uhm this time...with me?” She saw his eyes change, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to ask the question, but it came out regardless.

“No, you would know. But...it...well, it enjoys pleasures with you. You keep it happy. You keep it calm.”

She wasn’t sure how that made her feel, but she was quickly distracted by Vilkas’ attentions to her breast, moaning quietly and shuddered her breath when he nibbled on her nipple too hard, but it was more pleasurable rather than painful.

“So...uhm...oooo...you do...this...mmmm for...it...beast?”

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her with confusion in his eyes. “No, why would you think that? _I_ want you. _I_ desire you. Not the other way around. It is just happy.”

“OK, sorry...I am ruining the moment, aren’t I?”

“That is impossible,” he said as he went back to nibbling on her breasts.

She shoved Vilkas off of her and onto his back, which was no easy feat due to his density, but she managed and straddled him. He rubbed his hands along her hips and waist, then up to her breasts, pinching and rolling them. 

Charlie slid down his torso to pull off his underwear and tossed them into an unknown corner. He was ready for her, but she wasn’t quite prepared for him. Hovering over his form and ran a hand through his light chest hair. She bent down to nibble on his own nipples, giving him what he just gave her, hearing him hiss in a combination of pleasure and pain. Delicate kisses planted down his firm abdomen until she reached what he clearly wanted... _well, so do I._

She grasped him firmly as she ran her tongue along his hardness, licking the saltiness from the tip, causing him to almost mewl at the sensation. She smiled at the unlikely sound coming from such a man. It was so warm in her mouth as she took him in as far as it would go, using her hand to do the rest.

Vilkas was hoping to be inside her, but he was quite content with her mouth as she licked and sucked, making him groan. Part of him liked the teasing, but he also wanted more. It was a struggle between wanting it to continue forever to wanting that release. The ever-familiar warmth spread through his body and between his legs. Running fingers through her hair, he wished he could reach her on other places, pinching, pulling. 

Charlie’s mouth was moving in perfect unison with her hand, tightening her lips then sucking his tip. He wanted to thrust into her mouth at that moment, but refrained, enjoying the feel of her warm and wet mouth, that delicious tongue. All her efforts were starting to build and culminate into one area, as he slowly moved with her, struggling to hold on. He almost stopped to be inside of her, but his body refused to cooperate as he was getting closer. 

Once he could take no more, he grasped her hair tightly and moved her head with her movements, wanting more of her, careful not to hurt her at the same time. It built to multiple sensations as he exploded in her mouth, that warmth congregated in one area spread quickly through his entire body, causing him to shudder at his release. He was pleased she finished him off and laid there for a second to recuperate, but she kept teasing him with her tongue, making him jolt for her own personal pleasure.

Vilkas lifted her by her head and drew her to him to kiss her once more, tasting himself on her tongue, but not caring. Rolling her onto her back, he suckled her wanting to taste her in return. He went to remove her panties, but she stopped him. “Don’t tear these. They are my second favorite pair.” She was teasing him, but she was only half-joking.

He looked at her sheepishly feeling suddenly bad that he destroyed her first pair as he gently removed them and delicately folded them. He handed them to her in reverence as she snorted with laughter and slapped him lightly on the arm. “Oh, so you can be silly! Who knew?!”

He smiled at her and growled when he dove into her breast, biting it and worked his way down to her honeyed wetness as desire already built up in him again. Spreading her legs, she placed her feet onto his shoulders, pushing her knees back as he slowly ran his tongue into her wetness. That first touch with the tongue was almost as good as the end, causing her to catch her breath. 

Inserting fingers into her warmth with one hand and grasping her breast in the other, he ran his tongue on her sensitive bud, twirling and sucking. The combination of his penetrating fingers, pinching nipples, and tongue caused so much pleasurable stimulation, she knew she wouldn’t last long. 

She tangled fingers through his wavy locks, spreading her legs further apart as if it would magically expand on the feeling. He put his hands to a new task of spreading the hood of her bud to enable his tongue greater access as it popped out, and she convulsed on his tongue. He continued with his administrations until the pulses completely stopped and licked her folds clean.

“I love your taste,” he whispered. 

She didn’t know why his words made her blush, but they did as she felt the heat creep through her chest to her ears. She presumed it was because men didn’t generally talk to her like that in the bedroom. Sex with Vilkas was passionate, and there was something almost animalistic about it. She would certainly miss it when he eventually left for his own home.

They rolled over on their sides in bed to look at each other. Charlie ran her fingers delicately across his bottom lip, wishing for a moment they could stay like that for a long time and not have to hunt a killer or go back to work. “I have to admit; I’m going to miss this when you eventually leave.”

“Aye, I will too.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - July 2nd, 2018_

_Illia and Oz_

Illia and Oz were not doing as well as Vilkas and Charlie. Despite the long talk they had and all of Oz’s reassurances that she was OK, she could not shake the horror of that day when she discovered Salazar had actually been her father. The knowledge that he was her father was horrible enough without all her doubts and fears that she was a monster like her parents. Her father’s words continually rang in her ears that she killed her mother for selfish reasons, making her no better than him.

Illia had gone back to sleeping in her own room, not wanting to be touched, afraid she would hurt Oz somehow without realizing it—as if she would instantly be engulfed in flames, killing him. The nightmares did not help with her fears. 

_Standing in desolate darkness, fear, and rage course through her entire body, arms flung on fire. Rational thought was gone as she slams hands together in a massive explosion. Light from the fire reveals the people of those closest to her...all dead. Father was standing next to her, a kiss on the cheek, mouthing the words how proud he is, but she cannot hear. All she sees is fire and death._

Illia could not sleep after the nightmare. It was still dark out, and part of her wanted to crawl into bed with Oz. She wanted and needed his touch, but she was afraid. Wiping the residual tears away with her hands, Illia walked to the kitchen to get a drink of water. She wanted to do something to keep herself distracted, but she did not know what to do. Turning on a light, she looked around his living room shelves for a book to read. She did not know what types of books they were, but it did not matter. She just needed the distraction.

As she was searching for a book, something caught her eye by the door. A piece of paper had been slipped through the narrow crevasse underneath. She walked over and picked it up curiously, wondering how it got there or who put it there. Turning over the paper, she saw it— _Illia_. She dropped it as if it would burn her hands, knowing instantly who it was from. There were only three people besides Oz who knew she was there, none of which would shove a letter under the door. 

Ilia knew she should probably wake up Oz. He would want to rush to see if he could capture him, but she did not move, her eyes never leaving the piece of paper on the floor. Without thinking, she found herself bending down and picking it up with a shaky hand. She knew she would need to sit down as she walked over to the couch, sat, and reluctantly opened up the letter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Letters from evil fathers.


	25. Joint Ventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illia gets a letter from Salazar. Oz is faced with helping Illia emotionally deal with everything. The chase into Skyrim begins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! It means everything!! <3
> 
> I have a new story up! I hope you stop by and check it out! <3   
>  [Ice and Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22925674)

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - July 2nd, 2018_

_My Dearest Beautiful Daughter,_

_I knew you had it in you. Only a daughter of mine could wield that kind of power such as yours. Seeing you engulfed in flames, as I bled, your raw and uninhibited power left me in awe. Despite my setback for immortality and losing everything, I would have gladly died at that moment when I saw what you could do, but not before I find you once more. You must come to me and be by my side._

_I go back to Skyrim and recover all that I lost, and you must follow me. I need you. I know you will bring your friends and they will try to kill me. You know they cannot stop me. If anyone could, it would be you. But I know you will not, and you will finally be by my side._

_Come to me._

_Father_

Oz stirred awake, seeing light coming from the living room, knowing Illia was struggling with sleep. He could hear when she had her nightmare, but she pushed him away when he would go to comfort her. He had hoped his talk and reassurances would have helped her, but her pain was too deep for him to reach. Regardless, he had to go to her. He couldn't leave her alone in her suffering despite her protests.

He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she flinched to his touch. Sitting down next to her, he could see tears in her eyes, reading something. "What's going on, Illia. What is that?"

Her only response was handing him the letter from her father. His eyes narrowed as he read it, the anger boiling up inside of him. It wasn't only from the fact that the killer sought her out at his own home, that Salazar knew where she was, but Illia was already struggling, and this psychopath was just pushing her over the edge. _Maybe that's his intention to get her by his side. Turn her into him. Fucking bastard!_

"You don't believe him, do you, Illia? Do you really think for one second he cares about you? He's manipulating you. He may want you at his side, but it's for power only. Please, you wouldn't consider going to him, would you? You are NOT him! You are NOT your mother! Please, Illia."

Illia finally looked over at him, tears pooling out of her eyes. "I do not know what to think anymore. I do not know what I am. My life has been one giant...what did you call it? Shit show."

"I'm not going to say it isn't, but you're strong, good, and a survivor. You are powerful, but more in mind and spirit. It is what drew me to you in the first place. I know you think you will hurt me, but I know you won't. That is not you despite what he wants you to think."

"I have to go to him. I have to stop him." She stood up to go back to her room and pack up her few belongings when she stopped, yet she did not look back at him. "I am so sorry. I will miss you for what that is worth."

Oz chased after her and grabbed her arm. She tried to pull away, but he held fast. "Enough! Enough with this self-fucking pitying, Illia. You are stronger than this. You have people who care about you, and we are not going to leave you alone, so fucking accept that and snap out of it. You're not going to hurt me, Charlie or Vilkas...or anyone innocent. Get that bastard out of your fucking head right now!"

"No! Let me go! I have to leave!"

"NO!" Oz pulled her into him to hold her as she fought him, both of them angry. Illia struggled to get him to let go, but he was stronger as he held on tightly to her.

He could hear the crackle of electricity, knowing she had cast some spell, most likely to get him off of her, but he held on. _She needs to know she won't hurt me_.

Hands sprawled away from her body, electricity ready and angry, but she did not cast her spell on him. It crackled and snapped on her hands harmlessly; the smell of ozone filled the room as he continued to hold her, refusing to let her go. 

He felt her easing her tension yet still had her spell cast, so he used one hand as he gently rubbed her back and nuzzled his face into her neck. 

"You won't hurt me, Illia," he whispered into her.

The crackling stopped, and her arms fell to her sides as she melted into him, sobbing. Yet she was still angry. Not at Oz, but her constant crying and weakness. Illia had spent her entire life abused and pretending to be someone she was not to survive. Now she felt utterly broken. But Oz trusted her not to hurt him. He held on tight even with the threat of her spell, not letting go to let her know he was not afraid and trusted her.

Finally, all her doubts and fears and anger came pouring out her as she wept on him. She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his waist, finally holding him back. 

When he felt her finally responding to him, he loosened his hold, grabbed her wet face, and kissed her all over. "It's OK... It's OK. You will get through this, but you aren't alone. I'm here, and I'm not going to let you face this by yourself. Alright?"

She nodded and continued to weep as he kissed her forehead. "Good. Now, let's get packed, grab Charlie and Vilkas, and go get that bastard."

Oz grabbed his camping pack and filled it with everything he thought would be necessary for another place that had no technology such as Earth. He wasn't about to leave his gun behind and packed three boxes of ammo for his Glock. Packing some extra clothes and a blanket, sleeping bag, and a few other essentials, he was ready.

"I know it is hot here, Oz, but Skyrim is incredibly cold, some areas are perpetually surrounded by snow. I suggest you bring something warm."

He grabbed his parka and threw a scarf, hat, and gloves into his pack. "There is something I have to do before I leave." She saw him sit at the kitchen table and write a letter and left it there to be found. "For my family...just in case."

He texted Charlie that he was on his way and to be ready.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Pack everything you think you will need_

_to travel to their realm. It is very cold and_

_bring all the ammo you can carry. Be there_

_in 30 minutes._

_Tell Vilkas he gets to go home finally._

_We will have to tell the Chief._

Charlie turned off her phone as soon as she read the message. "Vilkas, get packed and ready...pack everything. Apparently, we are all going to your home. Oz is going to fill us in on the details when he gets here."

Vilkas was done packing as he did not have very much anyway. It was the armor that was the most cumbersome. He strangely had not missed wearing it as he spent time here. It was bulky and uncomfortable.

He was watching her pack when he went to wrap arms around her waist, then turned her around. "Charlie, stop for a minute."

"What...we don't have time," she said as she tried to pull away to finish packing.

"You are going to have to make time for this. Do not make this decision rashly. It is very serious."

"It's fine. I'm assuming Salazar went back to your homeland, and we are going to follow."

"It is not fine. It is not something to take lightly. You may find it hard to deal with and adapt. My world is full of magic and strange creatures...danger when you least expect it. It is not like here."

"You have told me enough to know that, Vilkas. It's dangerous here, too, in case you haven't noticed."

"I do not think you are fully grasping what I am trying to say. We go through that portal, we may be thrown into a situation where we have to close it. You may not be able to return. So, I need you to think very hard if you are certain you want to do this. Illia and I can just return. You do not have to follow. If we can close the portal with him in Skyrim, he will never murder in your world again...think about it. He is finished killing here on Earth. You no longer have to chase him."

Charlie found herself sitting on her bed after being hit with that little tidbit. _What if I cannot come back?_ The thought sent her stomach reeling with nerves. But she had a job to do as well. She couldn't abandon it just to let Vilkas and Illia handle it alone. Plus, Oz seemed quite determined to go through with it as well. _No, I am going_.

She stood back up to finish packing and told Vilkas as much. "No, I'm going. I can't leave you and Illia to fight that monster on your own."

"I would love nothing more than you to be with me, but this is…"

"It doesn't matter. I have no one here anyway...no family, no close friendships. I have a job to do, and I'm going to do it. If I know Oz, he is determined as well. He is my only friend, and I'm not leaving him to do this without me."

He admired her tenacity, but he was afraid she would regret this. He would hate to see her stuck in his world unhappy for the rest of her life.

"Charlie…please."

She raised her hand to stop him. "I'm going. There will be no more discussion."

"Very well." He walked off to get out of her way and let her finish.

There was a knock on the door as Vilkas went to open it for Oz and Illia. Vilkas quickly pulled Illia aside.

"Illia, I am assuming we are following Salazar to Skyrim?" When she nodded, he continued. "Does Oz know the risks of following us? I tried to explain to Charlie, but she is...determined. What if they cannot get back?"

"I explained the risks to Oz as well on the way over here, but he is as determined as Charlie. He will not leave me alone to my fate."

When Oz saw Charlie come out of her room with a packed bag, he explained what was going on. "Illia, in the early morning, found a letter shoved under my door addressed to her. Apparently, Salazar has fled to Skyrim, which I'm sure you've already surmised. He wants her by his side. I'm not leaving her alone to fight that. Illia explained to me that there would be a chance we could be trapped there. If it meant preventing Salazar from returning to Earth, that we may have to close the portal."

He looked at Charlie in her tactical pants, combat boots, ready to go. "Charlie, you don't have to do this. I called you to be ready, but that was before Illia fully explained the risks to me. I think you should stay."

She was already getting tired of being told to stay behind. "Fuck you. I'm not staying behind. Vilkas already told me the risks, and I'm going. I'm with all of you. End of story."

He wasn't going to fight her on it. He knew her well enough that she wouldn't stay behind, but he had to make that offer to her regardless. "First, we need to go see the Chief and tell him what is happening. He's going to be shittin' kittens, but he's going to have to deal with it. Are we ready then?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You really want me dead, don't you? I think you've been secretly plotting my demise and give me a fucking heart attack! Magic again?! Portals?! Other realms?! Fuck Oz! Charlie...please tell me you aren't buying into this shit."

The Chief, always in his cheerful mood, was especially moody. Oz couldn't blame him, and his outburst was expected. 

Charlie just shrugged. "I have seen enough to believe. I know you believed when you saw what Illia could do."

He gave her that 'et tu Brute' look. "Well, you all have made up your minds, clearly not fucking caring what I have to say about it all. Are you sure I'm the fucking boss?" 

"Yes, we are determined to go, and yes, we could have just gone. But, you should know in order to handle things accordingly…should we not return. Charlie and I are set on this and determined to see this through all the way. We aren't going to leave Illia and Vilkas to handle this themselves alone. They have been instrumental in helping us with this case, and we can do no less by them."

"And, what the fuck do I tell your family, Oz, should you not return?"

"You tell them I left them a letter on my kitchen table. My sisters each have a key to my place where they will find the letter instructs them to the location of my will."

Charlie put up her hands in self-defense. "Don't look at me, Chief. I'm all alone in this world. No one will miss me."

"I will miss you," the Chief retorted.

Vilkas did not care who saw or what they thought about it as he grabbed her hand, glad she did not pull away. "You are not alone, Charlie," he said as she gave him a small but sweet smile.

"Well, clearly, I cannot stop you all. Threats of firing you all won't work, I presume."

"Sorry, Chief," Oz shrugged. "I know this isn't easy for you, but we felt you should know what is going on."

"Fine, get out of my face and...be careful out there," the Chief said, shooing them out of his office.

As Oz was walking back, he looked at his Chief, hoping it wouldn't be for the last time. "Hey, Chief. Be happy to know at least the killer won't kill anymore over here. That's what matters, right?"

"Out!" he bellowed. "Wait...Oz? I know I'm yelling, but please make it back safely."

"I will do my best, Chief."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they were driving, headed towards Georgetown, they had to figure out now where to find a portal. They clearly could not go back in the one Illia came through since it was too high to reach. There could be several now that grew, but no one knew for sure. They would just have to try to find the one Vilkas came through.

"Vilkas, do you remember anything when you came through? Some sort of landmark?" Charlie asked.

"Well, there were lots of trees, almost wooded, but I could hear a lot...a lot of noise. I did not walk far before I saw a lot of people running, walking dogs, and on some two-wheeled carriage things."

"You mean bikes? No, you wouldn't know, sorry, that must be it. OK, so we are looking for trails with trees. What else can you remember?" she continued to ask.

"I remember I did not have to walk far before I saw a long bridge. I walked about two miles before I came to a park where your police took me." It was hard to believe that it was only two and a half weeks ago, but it felt ages when that happened. 

Oz assumed he meant Key Bridge as he crossed it and found someplace to park. They would walk the rest of the way. Vilkas pointed out the direction he came from, and they all headed that way, hoping to stumble on the portal eventually.

"I made sure to take note of where I was when I came through, but please be aware, I...struggled. I was sick coming through the portal; it was hot. There was a plane that scared me and all the noises and smells. So, my memory may not be the best."

"Do not worry, we will find it. I can also use my magic to sense it. So I do not think you have to know exactly where it is," Illia explained, patting his shoulder.

It didn't take long before they found it. Oz and Charlie would never have noticed it had Illia, and Vilkas showed them what it looked like. Upon closer inspection, they could see the area slightly shimmer, almost like calm water. If there were any lingering doubts about a portal, they quickly vanished. 

Illia turned to face Oz and Charlie before they went through. "First, after we go through the portal, you are going to feel ill...a need to vomit. If you need to do so, then do it. No one will fault you. I wanted to, but it was either that or drown when I came through and landed in your river. Second, there will be corpses in there from when Vilkas and I went through the cave and killed all the mage sentries. Last, our realm is very different from yours. Vilkas and I will guide you through everything else, just as you did for us. I just wish I had a home we could go to, but I burned it down to the ground...cleansed the horrible memories away with fire."

"I have Jorrvaskr, and we can go there. Or get you a place at the Inn in Whiterun. I would have called it a city, but it clearly is nothing compared to what you have," Vilkas explained.

"How will your Companions take us, Vilkas. You sure that would be a good idea?" Charlie asked.

"Yes, they would not be surprised when I tell them the story. Remember, we believe in magic, realms, and monsters."

Illia's hands lit up before they headed through the portal. "I am going to cast a spell, that I hope works in keeping us together. The last time, Vilkas and I got separated as there were other portals. I do not know if returning will be the same, but better safe than sorry."

Illia cast her spell as they all walked through the portal together into another world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: New worlds and a new time.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise is waiting for our team through the portal. Charlie and Oz are entralled with Skyrim, though mostly Charlie. Illia teaches Charlie how to hunt the magical way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for commenting, reading and kudos!! It means the world!! <3

_Skyrim - date unknown_

As they came through the portal, there was retching abound. All of them were on the ground getting sick, unable to keep the contents of their stomachs where they belonged. Standing up, Charlie and Oz looked around at their strange new environment with queasy stomachs and on wobbly knees. 

They were in a cave of sorts and very dark, but had ancient crumbling ruins as well, making them feel like they were archeologists with some new and unexplored discovery. As they looked around, they could see dead necromancers off to the corner as if they were just killed recently. There was also the giant floating, brightly lit orb that shot out periodic bots of electricity left them both Oz and Charlie standing in awe.

"We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto," Charlie muttered as she walked around, inspecting the strange orb, almost wanting to reach out and touch it, though she knew it was hazardous.

The cave was very dark, with only a few torches and the orb to light their way.

"Come on, it is this way to get out," Illia ordered as she started walking.

"He...Hello?" They all heard the tentative male voice and readied their weapons, unsure if the voice was friend or foe.

"I...I'm un...unarmed...please help me!" The man said after seeing the people draw their weapons.

They could all see a man sitting and leaning against a moss-covered wall in the dark. He was dressed in running shorts and a t-shirt, covered in vomit and filth; arms wrapped nervously around his legs as if to keep out a chill. He was clearly not from this world.

"Dammit, he must have accidentally come through the portal," Illia complained.

"Shit." Oz bent down at the frightened man, pulling out his badge. "It's OK. I'm a cop. Tell me what happened."

"Oh, thank God! I...I don't know. I was running and the next thing I knew I ended up here on my knees throwing up. Please...I have to get out of here. I don't know what's going on!"

"It's OK, calm down, sir. We will do what we can."

Illia looked down at the man curiously. "Why did you not go back through the portal?"

"No...no, I was too afraid. I could end up anywhere! I...I…" 

"I see. How long have you been here?" she asked.

"I don't know...hours. There are dead bodies everywhere! I was afraid even to move!"

Illia reached out her hand to the man to get him to stand. "Come on. Let us get you back to where you belong." She held his hand and guided the nervous man back to the portal. "You just have to walk through. It will take you home. This portal leads you directly to where you came from, though you may end up somewhere else other than where you started, but it will bring you back to Washington. And I suggest you do not tell anyone about this place. We do not need strangers coming in here. It is very, very dangerous. Do you understand?"

"Ye...Yes. No one will believe me anyway. You sure it's OK to go through? I really want just to go home."

"Yes, I promise. You will feel sick again, but I am sure other than that, you will end up back home. Good luck," she said and left to join everyone else as soon as he reluctantly stepped through the portal.

"Well, that was weird," Charlie stated the obvious.

Vilkas shook his head. "No, that was bad. We now have to worry about people accidentally coming here. We need to find Salazar and kill him so we can get you and Oz back safely, then close the portal. 

When we reached Jorrvaskr, I will send a couple of whelps to guard the place. If anyone comes through, I will have them sent back."

"Good plan," Oz chimed in.

Illia was looking at the dead necromancers. "I wonder what day it is? They should have been decomposing by now judging by the amount of time we were gone. They look...fresh, for lack of a better term."

Vilkas shrugged. "Perhaps we have lost no time. We can find out when we reach the nearest establishment or run into someone to ask."

"Right now, I am just glad the Eye is holding, for now, though I do not know how long we have. I have the staff and scroll, but no idea how to use them."

Before they headed out, Illia put her mage robe back on while Vilkas changed his clothes as well and reluctantly donned his armor. Oz and Charlie put on their jackets and hats, knowing it was going to be very cold outside.

"Well, well. Aren't you the knight in shining armor," Charlie teased Vilkas.

Vilkas grabbed her tightly to him, pressed up against his cold armor. "Are you in distress, milady?"

Everyone rolled their eyes and groaned at the corniness of it all. Charlie snorted and gave him a quick peck on his lips. "I will let you know later," she said, winking at him and left him smiling in anticipation of her' distress.'

Charlie looked over at Oz and his attire. "We are certainly going to look out of place here."

"We are, but at least we will be warm. Illia, should we do the same as we did for you? Buy some clothes here to fit in? Or will the people even care?"

"They may look at you oddly, though I am unsure if anyone will react openly hostile. Let us see how people respond first, then we can decide. I, for one, am going to get something like light armor. This mage robe will do nothing for me in regards to protection, despite it being a reminder of where I came from.

The other thing I would like to do when we get to Whiterun is get some amulets and enchant them. I believe I have enough coin for all that. I am going to have to find a way to get more money while we are here. It not as if I have a job."

"I can help, Illia," Vilkas offered. "What do we need amulets for?"

"Protection from Salazar and...me."

"Illia, we have already talked about this. You won't hurt us," Oz said, reaching out for her hand.

"I lost control, Oz. You do not know that for sure and neither do I. A magic resist amulet will protect you all, just to be sure. It will not hurt to wear one anyway."

Oz kissed her hand and relented to her wishes. "Fine, let's go then...no time like the present."

Walking through the darkened cave with Illia's Mage Light to guide their way, they finally made it out to a bright but frigid day. There was no snow on the ground at least as their breaths billowed out in thick white plumes. 

Oz and Charlie took in their surroundings. It really looked no different from places like Colorado that were filled with rocky mountains and thick woods. Charlie found it quite beautiful, and the air smelled so fresh and clean with hints of pine. One didn't realize how polluted the air was until exposed to it when it was clean. 

Charlie inhaled deeply. "Oh my, that smells good!"

"How long will it take to get to...Whiterun, did you say, Vilkas?" Oz asked. 

Vilkas was looking around as if in search of something. "Uhm, it will take about three days...not too bad. Ah! There he is! I cannot believe the horse is still here. Certainly no time has passed. Too bad we cannot all ride him, but I have to return him regardless, so if the ladies would like to take turns I can lead the horse. We can use him to carry our gear as well."

Charlie and Oz, gratefully, put their heavy packs on the horse to spare their backs, and they all pushed on heading North to the moors and then East, with the horse in tow. Once they passed the small mountain range, they cut East towards Whiterun.

"Holy fuck! Are...are those Mammoths and Giants?" Charlie yelled out in awe, the expression on her face was of wonder, not fear. She hadn't noticed until she could feel the ground rumbling beneath her feet. She wasn't sure if she should be afraid or go over to investigate. Her curious nature caused her feet to start moving towards the giants to get a better look when Vilkas grabbed her arm to hold her back.

"That is not a good idea, Charlie. They are generally peaceful, but if you get too close, they will protect their mammoth herd and kill you on site. One hit with their massive clubs will kill you instantly. It is best to err on the side of caution and just leave them alone."

"Damn, OK. I still can't quite believe what I'm seeing. Do you see that, Oz?!"

He was in awe as well. "I see it...crazy. Earth used to have mammoths, but they are all extinct."

Now that there were fewer trees, Charlie took in the whole terrain. She was an avid lover of the outdoors, and to see the nature and beauty of the land left her in love with it. She had taken trips to Colorado as well as West Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains to mountain climb and wished she had brought her climbing gear. The moors were flat and relatively bland in color with sporadic flowers here and there, but it was the surrounding mountains that really drew her in.

"This is so beautiful! I love it here!"

Vilkas laughed. "That will not last long as soon as you meet a troll or a dragon. To the West, there are all the Forsworn who will be more than happy to kill you on site."

"Danger is everywhere, Vilkas. My home has a lot of it. We too, have dangerous animals, criminals, and evil groups of people with dangerous weapons."

Vilkas looked out at the land he grew up in and saw it in a new way, through Charlie's eyes. He lived there for so long; he had forgotten how beautiful it really was. He loved it that Charlie found his country fascinating, making him feel strangely proud.

Once they passed the Giants, they decided to go ahead and make camp as it was getting dark. Illia made the fire, and Vilkas set up the tents of stitched pelts of fur, showing Oz and Charlie how to do it. 

Charlie had her cold hands by the fire and realized none of them brought any food. She just assumed they would easily find some in Skyrim. "Illia and Vilkas, are there animals here we can hunt for food?"

"Yes, I was just thinking about that. Vilkas does not have a bow and a great-sword will do nothing against a beast that is running, but I have just the thing. Care to join me, Charlie?"

"Sure! I have my gun too. I'm not much of a hunter, but I am a good shot."

She watched Illia's hand glowed purple, producing an orb that exploded into what looked like an ethereal bow. She would give anything to be able to conjure a weapon like that. "Wow, that is the coolest thing I have ever seen."

Illia laughed at Charlie's amazement, forgetting Charlie had not seen her do very much magic at all other than some healing and that one ice spear. "Yes, it is quite handy. I use it for when I need to hunt for food. I learned how to conjure one at a young age."

As they were walking out towards the moors, Vilkas shouted out to them. "Please be careful!"

"How are you doing, Illia, after everything...if you don't mind me asking?"

"Honestly? I have been better. Life was always hard for me, but to find Salazar is my father and...what I did with the fire...it...scares me still. But Oz has been great in helping through it all."

"I would be worried if it didn't scare you, honestly. And, Oz is a good man. He helped me through my own demons and never judged me for it. I think you are in good hands and are going to be just fine."

"Thank you for saying that. How about you and Vilkas? I have to admit, I find it quite odd. He is intense, to say the least."

Charlie laughed lightly under her breath. "Intense is an understatement, but he's also very loyal and very kind. He loosens up as one gets to know him, it seems."

"There! Shhhh...a couple of rabbits." Illia pulled out her bow, which magically nocked an arrow into place. It was utterly silent, unlike conventional bows. She rapidly fired one arrow after another, both making their mark on each rabbit.

"That was quite impressive! You are very good...I may have to teach you how to fire a gun. I bet you would be excellent at it."

"Thank you! Let us try to find a couple more then we can head back."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oz watched Vilkas poke at the fire to get it roaring a bit more and made some spits for the meat that was sure to come. It was more unfamiliar territory for him, and he was not nearly as enthralled about it as Charlie. He had been a city boy all his life, used to the concrete and rush of people, having only been camping once. Once, he was with a girlfriend who loved the outdoors, so he spent a fortune buying all the gear to take her camping. She ended up dumping him after a couple of months. He realized he was going to have to quickly learn all he needs in order to survive out here.

"Vilkas?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry for the way I behaved towards you. It was undeserved, and I was wrong."

Vilkas looked up at the man, looking contrite. Vilkas just shrugged. "You already apologized."

"I know, but it really wasn't sufficient. I blamed you twice when things went wrong and none of it was your fault. I shouldn't have done that. You were right...I was looking for someone to blame. In reality, I was angry at myself. Charlie is not only my partner, but my friend. If anything happened to her or if she died that day, I would have blamed myself. I left her so she could walk home, when I could have easily just made you all ride in the car with me. That was on me and I blamed myself. I blamed what happened to Illia on myself as well. I couldn't protect her, and she was taken right under my nose."

"None of those were your fault either. Both situations were out of your control. I have not known Charlie long, but I know enough that she can be quite stubborn in what she wants. As for Illia, there was no way you could have stopped Salazar. I have already forgotten it...so, it is fine."

Oz appreciated his comment and laughed a bit at describing Charlie. She was indeed stubborn. "Thanks for your words and understanding."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After each ate a rabbit, which was quite new to Oz and Charlie, who had never eaten game food before, they settled in their respective tents. 

Despite being in her sleeping bag, she was shivering in the cold. D.C. could get cold, but she didn't think it ever got as cold as it did in Skyrim, nor was she used to sleeping outside despite her love of the outdoors.

"Cold?"

"What do you think?" she chided with shivering and chattering teeth. "This sleeping bag wasn't made for arctic temperatures, that's for damned sure."

"Is there enough room in there for me? I have a bedroll, though I doubt it will be much warmer for you."

"You going to snuggle in with me using your insane body heat? Please say yes…"

"Yes." Vilkas removed his armor, but there was no way they could both fit in it. He laid out his bedroll for them to sleep on, and she unzipped the sleeping bag all the way as a blanket of sorts. Once they were underneath, he pulled her in close, and she instantly stopped shivering.

She happily snuggled into him and shoved her face in his warm neck. "You're like a damned electric blanket. Poor Oz is going to be so jealous he doesn't have a Vilkas to keep him warm at night."

Vilkas laughed. "I am sure he will manage with Illia."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Whiterun
> 
> I have a new story up! I hope you stop by and check it out! <3  
> [Ice and Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22925674)


	27. Home Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas gives a little history lesson and after they reach Jorrvaskr, a little downtime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content, thus NSFW.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos!! <3

_Skyrim - Whiterun Hold - Middas, 24th of Rain's's Hand 4E 200_

By the third day, they could all see the walled city in the distance. Charlie was excited to get there. She had always wanted to travel to Europe, and this was the closest thing she was ever going to get. She knew it wasn't Europe, but it had that old Europe feel to it. 

"Wow, what is that massive building in the background?" Charlie asked Vilkas.

"That is Dragonsreach. That is where the Jarl rules Whiterun Hold. He seems to be decent at what he does, so I do not complain."

"A Jarl is a leader, I suppose?"

"Aye, there are many Holds throughout Skyrim, and a Jarl rules each one. Skyrim had a King, but he was killed by Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, which is why we are in the middle of a Civil War. I presume he wants to be King, but he has to win the war first."

Oz looked around as if a battle might ensue at any moment. "It doesn't look like a war going on."

"No, right now, Whiterun has remained neutral, but it will be only a matter of time before it hits our doorstep. Whiterun, in particular, will eventually be fought over by the two warring factions, unfortunately. Its centralized location is ideal."

"I'm sure you will tell us more, but whose side are you on regarding the war?" Charlie asked.

"I am on neither right now. The Companions do not meddle in these types of affairs. Besides, it is hard to choose. They both have their pros and cons. Ulfric is a racist, but he wants Skyrim free of Thalmor and Imperial rule for all Nords; unfortunately, that does not necessarily include the other races though we all have to live together. The Imperials are stretched thin, but powerful. They are not the problem as much as the Aldmeri Dominion, who are currently their allies, and they are racist as well with delusions of grandeur. They are trying to take away one of our gods, and the Nords are not happy about it. They have been known to imprison, torture, and kill those who worship our Nord God Talos."

"Why do they care?" Oz asked.

"Good question. Talos ascended as a God...he was a man first. A Nord. They resent it. But, I know there has to be more to it than that. They are up to something, which to me, is more worrisome than the Civil War."

Oz looked at Illia, who had been quiet for the whole lecture. "What about you, Illia? What do you think?"

"Honestly, I was so busy pleasing my mother and isolated that I do not know much about it to offer much insight. I am Imperial, though now that I know I am related to Salazar, I am also half Breton. I do not really know my Imperial roots anyway." She shrugged not able to offer much else, suddenly feeling like she was losing more and more of herself.

They reached the stables and grabbed their gear so Vilkas could return the horse he rented, and they all walked towards Jorrvaskr. 

People were hustling and bustling as they do in any city. The blacksmith was tinging away on her anvil, a man chopping wood for the town, children running amok, vendors yelling out their wares for sales, and guards roaming the city to keep it in order. There were a few curious looks, but no one seemed to pay the strangers any mind as they walked through the town.

Charlie looked at the massive tree in the center of the courtyard and wondered what it looked like when it was in its glory before it died. Looking around at the quaint homes, clean rushing waters, and the massive statue of some Viking looking man. She was in love with the place. 

Vilkas laughed and grabbed her hand as she was walking off to look at everything, pulling her towards Jorrvaskr. He was pleased she was not struggling so far to the change as he had in her world.

For Charlie, it was like being at some Renaissance Festival with firepits, old and worn furniture, goblets of wine or mead, weapon displays without all the souvenirs and drunk people in costume, except it was all real. She was fascinated. 

This place wasn't for Oz, though, the big city boy. It was too rural and quiet for his taste. But he was there for Illia, and that was what was important. He also worried about Illia. She was without money, a home, and a family. _What is going to happen to her when I leave?_

When they entered Jorrvaskr, a man who looked exactly like Vilkas eyed the strangers curiously, then back to Vilkas, who then proceeded to hug his brother. "Brother, are you done then with your mission already? We were expecting you to be gone longer."

"Well, it is hard to explain, but we have actually been gone nearly three weeks now, and no, the mission is not done. Farkas, this is Charlie and Oz, they are...guards from their land. And, Illia, who hired me. Everyone, this is Farkas, my brother."

Farkas nodded his head in acknowledgment to everyone. "You are going to give more detail than that, I hope."

"Aye, later. We need to go meet Kodlak and explain what is going on; then, we can rest and eat." Grabbing Charlie's hand, he showed them all around Jorrvaskr until they met up with a kindly looking older gentleman. Charlie and Oz stood with arms crossed, backs to the wall as Illia and Vilkas sat, explaining everything that happened to them over the past few weeks.

Oz had to give the old man credit, he never once argued, flinched, or doubted anything that he was told. He sat there in silence, listening until they were finished with the story. Oz began to wonder if the older man was going to say anything at all, he pondered for so long.

Kodlak looked off in thought then drew his eyes to the Earthly pair relaxed against his wall. "So, this Salazar is nowhere in Skyrim, and he is...your father, Illia?" 

She nodded in shame. "Yes, it was quite a shock, as you can imagine."

"No, I cannot imagine what you went through and felt when you found that out. I am very sorry, girl. So, what is it you need from me?"

Vilkas spoke up this time. "For one, we need to send a couple of whelps to guard the portal. We cannot have anyone from Earth to travel here. Mostly we wanted you to know what was going on and if Oz, Illia, and Charlie could stay here for a while. We have spare beds...if that is OK."

"Of course they can stay as long as they like. Am I assuming Charlie will stay with you? Oz and Illia can stay in Farkas' room. He can sleep with the whelps for a while."

Everyone looked at him, mouths agape making him chuckle under his breath. "You think you hide such things. I have eyes...well, one good eye anyway. But it is as clear as the noses on your faces, do not deny it. Make sure it is OK with Farkas first, though."

Vilkas gave a respectful nod to the older man. "Thank you, Harbinger."

Vilkas showed Oz and Illia where they were staying, explaining things later to his brother, and dragged Charlie to his room where he did not hesitate to lift her as she wrapped her legs around him and reached for his lips, knocking objects off of his dresser. She was hungry for him, but she was craving cleanliness more at that moment after three days of hiking.

"Mmmm...was that...mmmm...a....hmmm...bath of...some sort?" she asked between kisses.

"You smell fine to me…" he mumbled as he put her down and tried to undress her.

"Urgh, no…I smell disgusting." Shoving herself off of him, he looked at her in such disappointment; she couldn't help but laugh.

"You are always laughing at my pain."

Charlie rolled her eyes at him, still laughing. "Pain? Don't be so dramatic. I'm laughing because you're adorable when you pout."

"I do _not_ pout, and I am _not_ adorable…" he said with a mask of distaste on his face.

His reaction produced a fit of laughter in Charlie, making him blush heavily. "Fine, Mr. I Have To Have You Right Now. How about you join me then? It looked big enough, and you don't exactly smell like flowers either."

"It will take a long time to heat the water," he whined and made one more vain attempt at having her, but she pushed him away trying not to laugh, but giving him plenty of kisses to still her guilt for ruining the mood for him, but she knew it would pick back up again. Then she led him by the hand to where the washbasin was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oz was happy to be alone with Illia finally, if only for a little while. They had quickly become close and intimate, but it had waned with the chaos that ensued when Salazar took her. He struggled to reconnect with her, understandably so, but he wanted to hold her, kiss her, make love to her. Yet he was willing to take whatever she was ready to give him, knowing that touching him had been a struggle for her.

He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips and pulled her into him, hoping she would let him hold her. She did as she wrapped her arms around his waist like a warm blanket and gave him a small smile, then tucked her head into his chest. 

"I am so sorry for how I have been lately...pushing you away like that. We have not known each other long, and I have already caused you distress and pain," she attempted to explain.

"Hey, look at me," he said as he lifted her chin to do just that. "You are not seriously blaming yourself for this, are you? You have nothing to apologize for. No one would have been able to handle what you went through well. I just wish I could have done more for you. At least had some words of wisdom to help you through it all."

"You have been wonderful and have helped me greatly. You are the closest I have ever had to a relationship, and I am not quite sure what I am doing, not really used to it all. Though I know you will eventually have to leave; I will strive to make our moments happier."

"Or, we can just go with the flow and not worry about such things, OK?" She nodded at his words as his lips reached hers. Illia was tentative at first, still shrugging off the residual fears of hurting him, but soon she melted into his soft and beautiful lips. 

Before they knew it, their clothes were scattered all over the room, giving in to their whims. Uncomfortable with doing anything in poor Farkas' bed, he lifted her and carried her roughly against the wall, shoving himself into her as she hung on for dear life. To keep herself from shouting out, she bit into his shoulder to muffle the sound as he deeply and roughly guided himself in and out of her. The feel of her was enough to brush away any pain she was inflicting on his skin. He felt the wave of pleasure from her wet warmth and with relief that he could be close to her like this.

She could feel tears spill out of her eyes from relief that she could be close to him without the worries of burning him alive. Grabbing his face with her hands as he held her tightly with the wall handling the rest, she inserted her tongue, seeking out his, wanting more and more... _don't_ _let it end too soon...no_. She, almost regretfully, orgasmed for she knew it would be over soon, hoping she could have held out a bit longer.

Oz felt her tears and almost stopped until she forced her mouth on his, distracting him as he continued to push himself as deep as possible into her wetness. She pulsed tightly around him, making her that much tighter as he could barely contain himself. When the warmth spread between his legs and felt himself flush, he tried to pull out for he had no protection, but she held on tight with her legs. He groaned with each thrust into her neck, eventually spent, and almost dropped her. 

He put her down and breathed heavily into her as their hearts settled. "You sure that was a good idea leaving me in there like that?"

"It is fine. We have potions for such things. I will pick one up in the morning. I...I wanted to feel your skin in me. Not...whatever that was the last time."

"OK, I trust you."

"We better get cleaned up and head to dinner soon."

He nuzzled in her neck. "Do we have to?" 

"Yes," she laughed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It did not take much to make Vilkas happy again as he watched her remove all her clothes for the bath, though he struggled to stop himself from taking her right there against the basin, he was only allowed to watch. He knew she was purposefully taunting him with the slow removal of each item as if daring him to lose control.

"Temptress," he whispered.

With a broad smile, she slowly walked over to the wall he was leaning on thinking she was going to remove his clothes. He could feel her body pressed up against his as she ran fingers through his tunic, touching him. She moved away as he tried to run a hand between her thighs. When he reached over to kiss her, she arched her back away from him, her eyes full of lust and daring.

Though she wanted to, Charlie didn't remove his clothes as he was expecting when she slowly entered the warm water, arms folded and resting on the rim watching him. "Go on...remove them. Slowly."

It was not that Vilkas was uncomfortable undressing in front of a woman, but it was generally done in a heated and mutual way where he was removing hers as well. He could feel the heat rise to his cheeks as she wanted him to do some show for her, but the lust in her eyes helped push him through it, hoping for a reward for his efforts at control.

She watched him do as he was told and was quite pleased when he removed his breeches, eyes glancing down to see how hard he was despite him feeling awkward putting on a show of undressing for her. "Very nice...come in and wash me. If I am pleased, then you can have me."

"Wait...what?!" His brows furrowed in frustration.

Charlie giggled at his reaction. "I am not that cruel, Vilkas. But I would like you to wash me. I want to feel your wet hands caressing my body with soap, hands sliding between my thighs cleansing me, your fingers entangled in my hair as you wash it…"

He did not let her finish as he got in, water sloshing over the sides with the added weight, as she made bathing the next best thing to having her. Vilkas had never washed with a woman before, but he had a feeling he would want to again after this.

He sat behind her as he took the lavender-scented soap and ran it through his hands to lather it, then glazed them over her shoulders and running down her back. Running soapy hands through her underarms, he did not waste time encircling each breast with each hand, pinching each nipple for good measure as she leaned her back into his chest.

Spending nearly too much time on her breasts as he kissed her neck, she moved his hands down towards her thighs. Taking the hint, he finished exploring her wet and warm body with fingers. Vilkas roughly spread her legs apart as she threw her head back onto his shoulder, fingers finally finding their treasure as he inserted them into her, for cleanliness purposes, of course.

Despite being in a bath, he could still feel her sticky wetness inside from his touches, making him growl quietly into her neck. He started rubbing her bud with fingers, the heat of her body going straight to her core at his touch, but she pulled him away. "You're not done, sir," she said, breathlessly with desire.

Hand grasping the back of her head, neck exposed, ready to take her, but he wanted her to be driven as crazy as she was driving him. He knew she liked it when he pulled the hair, nibbling on her neck, licking the ears as she moaned and almost melted into him to allow him to do whatever he wanted with her. "Hair…" she managed to get out, panting, trying to maintain some sort of control.

Cradling her in his arms, Vilkas leaned her head back to get her hair wet, then lifted her as he lathered soap for her hair. He ran stiff fingers through her scalp, making sure the soap was spread entirely throughout her hair. She moaned as he massaged her head, tugging and pulling lightly on her hair as she moaned.

As he rinsed out her hair, he leaned into her ear, hot breath sending goosebumps down her arms despite the heat of the water. "Are you pleased, milady?"

"Uhmmhmmm," she muttered groggily with desire, face flushed more from him than the warm water.

Knowing he had her just as much in heat as she had him earlier, he turned her to face him and entered himself into her. He loved listening to her hiss at the feel of him entering her, leaning her head back, eyes closed as he pulled on her wet hair once more. "You will now fuck me," he whispered, who had clearly gained the upper hand in this game of hers. 

Charlie did as she was told while he rubbed her bud with a thumb, moving her body on his hardness, using her strong leg muscles to do most of the work for her. Her head lolled in pleasure as he watched her ride him, breast dancing for him as she moved. Their desire already at peak levels before he entered her, it didn't take long before they came in conjunction, Charlie moaning loudly into his neck to muffle the sounds.

"Best bath ever…," she exclaimed after they caught their breaths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Our futuristic friends get to meet the Silver Hand.
> 
> I hope you stop by and check it out my new story!  
> [Ice and Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22925674)


	28. Into the Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jorrvaskr is attacked by the Silver Hand. Good thing Charlie, Oz, and Illia are there to stop them. Then onward to rescue Skjor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! I hope you are still enjoying it! I appreciate it so very much!! <3

_Skyrim - Jorrvaskr - Middas, 24th of Rain's Hand 4E 200_

Dinner was a wild affair full of simple meals and a lot of alcohol. The Companions bombarded their guests with questions and enthralled with their way of life. Vilkas told his story of struggles and how Charlie practically saved him from the chaos of it all. They quickly grew to like Oz and Charlie, making them feel quite welcome as they grew to like The Companions as well, pleased they didn't have to hide who they were.

It was raucous as the alcohol flowed more freely, laughter abound. Oz looked at Illia, who looked more relaxed than he had ever seen her, laughing at some of the stories about the twins. She was wearing her Earth clothes as her robes were for necromancers, feeling more out of place wearing the robes than her modern clothes. He placed an arm around her and kissed her head as she leaned her head into his shoulder.

Charlie had no idea how she ended up on Vilkas' lap, his arm snaking up her shirt, lightly running fingers along her back. She just sat comfortably on his legs laughing and listening to the wild and sometimes hard to believe stories.

Farkas was undoubtedly the loudest of the two brothers. "So, there was Vilkas...sorry Charlie...with a girl on each leg. Gorgeous girls! I would have been happy with them had they been on me, and I am clearly the more handsome twin, but they apparently liked the broody type. I am sure you know what I mean, Charlie. My brother here is not like normal men. He was stiff and grumpy, but too polite to shoo them away, so they sat there grinding their asses on his thighs while he…"

"OK, that is enough Vilkas' stories for the night, brother...please just stop talking! No one wants to hear that story!"

"What about that time when Vilkas…" Aela started with another story.

"Please, enough! Surely there are other stories to tell that do not involve me!" Vilkas scolded, but he had a smile on his face.

Everyone suddenly stopped talking, eyes all drawn to the doors as they burst open, and a gust of cold air entered Jorrvaskr, the wind sending embers from the fire through the room.

Charlie was the first to react, as she leapt off of Vilkas reaching for her gun, realizing she left it downstairs. She watched several men and women enter with bows and swords drawn. Oz had the same reaction she did. She looked at him, indicating she was going to run and get their guns. She had no idea who these people were, but they undoubtedly intended harm.

The Companions all stood, weapons drawn and ready for battle. It was the perfect distraction for her to run and get her and Oz's guns. It only took a minute to find them and rush back upstairs, where a battle was ensuing. She could hear the clashing of swords upon sword and sword upon shield as if straight out of a movie. Oz had Illia behind him to protect her as she struggled to get by him to fight. Charlie handed him his gun, while he and Charlie started firing their weapons, quickly taking out the thugs, careful not to hit one of the Companions.

Illia finally escaped Oz's protection and used her chain lightning spell on the one closest to her as he burned from the inside out, quickly collapsing on the floor, hair singing and smoking on his head. A feral woman jumped on Oz's back and had him in a chokehold as he struggled to get her off of him. She was about to stab him in the head with a dagger until Illia conjured her bow and fired at the woman on top of Oz, killing her.

"Thanks…" he said breathlessly.

Charlie had yet to see Vilkas fight with his sword, and he was a force to be reckoned with as he cut, slashed, hacked with his sword. His sword swung with ease as if it weighed nothing, quickly decimating their numbers. She would have stopped to admire his fluid movements had they not been so busy protecting Jorrvaskr. There were so many of these thugs; Charlie was beginning to wonder if there would ever be an end.

Oz saw Kodlak out of the corner of his eye on the ground, bleeding as he rushed to him. Several arrows were protruding out of his shoulder, chest, and abdomen. "Illia!" he shouted for her, knowing she could heal. "Please, can you help him? I will protect you, but one arrow is precariously close to his heart."

Illia rushed over, and before Kodlak could protest, she quickly withdrew the arrows, causing him to scream out in pain. Once removed, she cast her most potent healing spell on all his wounds, focusing on the one near his heart first. There was so much noise of swords clashing, gunfire; she struggled to tune it all out as she focused on the older man. She knew her healing spell was finally working as his face relaxed with the lessening pain.

"I am OK, girl. I will heal the rest of the way...go do what you need to," Kodlak ordered, teeth clenched, still in pain. 

She was about to join in the battle, but it was finally over. The silence was strange after all the chaos, ears ringing, and dead bodies were everywhere. None of the Companions had died, but several were severely injured. Illia went to work on Njada first, who was passed out with a head wound. When Illia felt Njada would be fine, she went to Athis next, who had a stab wound on his left arm.

After a couple of hours, everyone was fully healed with Illia wholly drained, sleeping on a bench while the most healthy removed the bodies from Jorrvaskr. Vilkas had to deal with the City Guard a few times as they kept trying to involve themselves with what happened, but he needed to keep the battle within the Companions only.

Vilkas stood there looking at all the blood, gore, and knowing if Illia, Charlie, and Oz had not been there, the Companions would have lost many members, including Kodlak. He was seething in anger that the Silver Hand had the nerve to attack Jorrvaskr. His face was a mask of ire, fists clenched, armor covered in blood. All he could feel was rage inside and his beast wanting to come out and kill. He wanted to hunt them down and slaughter them all. They were a murderous cult that should finally be put down.

Aela, knowing he was as angry as she was, grabbed his arm to get his attention. "Shield-Brother, we need to deal with this. Finally, put an end to them...kill them all. Their days of torture and death are finally going to be at an end."

He nodded and was about to mobilize a team to do just that before Charlie stopped him. "You can't do this, Vilkas. It's not right." She was worried he would be headed down a path of revenge and return a different person or perhaps dead. She never believed he was the revenge type, but what did she know? She had only known him for several weeks.

Vilkas looked down at her with anger, not directed at her, but the situation. "Why can I not do this? They deserve nothing more than death. They torture and kill...with glee. They will keep attacking us if we do nothing. This is not Earth, Charlie!"

Oz decided to speak up as he was in full agreement with his partner. "Don't you have guards to seek out and arrest them? Or, talk to the Jarl?"

"As I said, this is not Earth. We do not have police like you. The Jarl is not going to send in troops and lose the needed soldiers to protect his lands, especially with a Civil War almost at his doorstep. He will not leave his lands defenseless. It is up to us."

Charlie tried to be gentle, but she felt what he wanted to do was wrong. "Vilkas, I get that your world is different from ours; that you have different laws. But you are angry, and I understand it...I see it. I just don't want you to rush out, kill a bunch of people while you are angry and not thinking clearly. I would like you to settle down first before you make any rash decisions. I know you know I'm right. This isn't like you. Look, everyone here is alive, and they are all dead. You won. I know if Kodlak weren't downstairs resting, he would tell you the same thing."

Charlie just had that way to calm him down. His beast was snarling at him for revenge, but her soft tone and reasoning settled it down. He did not know what it was about her, but he listened and softened with her words. He grabbed her and held her tightly, not saying anything.

"Vilkas, we also need you. If you die, we will lose our advantage over Salazar. Please, do not go," Illia pleaded.

"Very well. You are right," Vilkas finally acquiesced. "I cannot stop others from doing that, but I will stay."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Jorrvaskr - Loredas, 27th of Rain's Hand 4E 200_

It had been three days, and they had rested long enough to prepare for their journey to find Salazar. Illia had three magic resist amulets made for each of her friends to protect them from dangerous magics Salazar would inflict upon them and possibly from her.

The night before, Illia had scryed to discover the location of Salazar— _I refuse to call him father_. He wanted to be found, for he put up no wards to protect his location. She discovered he was located in a Nordic Ruin SouthWest of Winterhold. _He may not care if he is found, but he certainly will not make it easy to get to him_ , she thought, knowing these ruins were full of draugr and other creatures. 

Oz looked over his beautiful amulet. "Illia, you mentioned a while ago about enchantments and soul gems. Is...am I wearing something that has a...human soul in it? I am unsure I can wear such a thing after what happened to those poor people in my world, and I'm surprised you would agree to create such a thing. I'm not trying to sound unappreciative of what you are trying to do, but…"

"I understand what you are saying. Rest assured, I would never use a black soul gem or put a humanoid soul in one. This is a standard soul gem, though they also require souls, just those from animals. While I do not like that either, I...I cannot let you go forward without some sort of protection."

"So, no...people?"

"No, absolutely not. I would never do that."

"OK, good. That makes me feel better, though I don't like the idea of the poor animal who gave up its soul to protect me either." 

"I have to do whatever I can to protect you."

He drew her in close and held her, kissing her head. "Are you ready for this? To find him?"

"I have to be. What choice is there?"

"You know, since he has allowed you to find him, this could be a trap. I just want you to be fully aware of what you are walking into."

"I know it is. Salazar wants me for himself, and he may try to do away with you; that is why the amulets."

Oz was terrified for her knowing she would have to face her father once more, and he knew she was still afraid she would hurt him; that she would lose control once more. But he trusted her. He knew he was falling for her. It was strange that it happened so fast when he usually pushed those feelings aside because he struggled with finding the right woman. The urge to tell her was strong, but he held it back. Part of him knew it was wrong because they wouldn't be together in the end, being from two different realms. It wouldn't be fair to her, but he had no control over his feelings, no matter how hard he resisted them.

Oz cupped her face to give her several light kisses. His only way to show her how he felt without having to tell her. "You look good in your new armor. I feel better knowing you are a bit more protected than from mere cloth."

"It is a bit tight and uncomfortable, but yes, it's necessary. I feel safer in it."

He was about to kiss her once more when they heard a lot of commotion going on upstairs. Worried there was another attack, they rushed out and headed upstairs. Once they reached the top, they saw Aela and Farkas bleeding and exhausted as Illia ran to them to heal them quickly.

As she was working on them, Vilkas demanded answers. "What's going on! What happened to you, brother? I assume you went to seek your revenge?"

Farkas nodded. "Aye, they proved to be...more formidable than we gave them credit. Silver Hand has become quite organized. They have Skjor, brother. We...we could not save him. I do not know if he is dead or not, but we could not get to him, or we would have died."

"Fuck!" Vilkas shouted as he paced back and forth. "Now I have to put everything fucking on hold from hunting Salazar to go and get Skjor! Dammit!" He turned to his three new friends. "You go ahead. I have to...fucking get Skjor before they kill him if he is not dead already. I...I will try to catch up." He said those words, but doubt coursed through his mind, knowing there was a possibility of him dying too to save his friend and the one man who was next in line to be Harbinger.

"I am coming too," Aela informed him.

"No, you and my brother have done enough. I am going alone and not risking anyone else."

Charlie put a calming hand on Vilkas' shoulder. "Wrong, you are not going alone...end of story. I'm coming with you."

Oz and Illia chimed in that they too will be joining in the saving of Skjor.

"I cannot let you all do that. This is my problem. You all have an important mission to finish."

"Vilkas, Salazar will wait. He is expecting me...waiting for me. He will be there as long as he needs to ensure I join his side. Salazar is not going anywhere. We are all with you."

He just gave a curt nod in appreciation as they all got ready to save Skjor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Driftshade Refuge - Tirdas, 30th of Rain's Hand 4E 200_

It took three days to get to Driftshade Refuge by horse. Charlie and Oz had never ridden a horse, so they were forced to ride in tandem with Vilkas and Illia, ignoring saddle-sore asses. Once they arrived, they held back a distance from the crumbling fort, most of which was underground, to scope out the terrain. 

It was snowing heavily with already several inches of snow on the ground, making visibility difficult. Charlie and Oz were shivering but tried to ignore the cold as he pulled out his binoculars to get a better view of the place. He noticed two sentries were guarding the area. "I could probably take them out easy enough with my gun, but it will be loud and draw their attention," Oz explained, handing Vilkas the binoculars, showing him how to use them.

"I can do it," Illia chimed in as she conjured her bow, quickly taking out the two sentries. "Done. I think regardless of finding Skjor alive or not, we should proceed to the ruins, which are close to Winterhold, not too far from here, instead of heading back to Jorrvaskr. If he is alive, I will heal him, and he can head back to Jorrvaskr by himself."

"Very well," Vilkas agreed. 

They all covertly rushed to the door, in case others were guarding the perimeter. The door was locked, but a quick search of a dead guard produced a key, which worked. 

Upon entering the main foyer, there were several Silver Hand on guard. Oz and Charlie let the other two handle them because they didn't want to draw unnecessary attention until it was absolutely necessary to use guns and conserve their ammo.

Oz and Charlie had a lot of training at the police department in stealth, guns ready, checking every corner for the enemy. As soon as enemies were spotted, Vilkas and Illia would quickly dispatch them. Back in their realm, they would have a large team that would avoid as much death as possible. They didn't like all the killing, but this situation was different. There were just four of them, and Oz and Charlie also knew that these Silver Hand would kill them on sight.

The smell hit them full force as they progressed forward. It was the stench of decomposition in various stages and blood; a stench Oz and Charlie were all familiar with. Upon entering a cave-like area, there were torture devices, werewolf heads on spikes, tortured dead werewolves in cages, and blood was everywhere. It looked like a slaughterhouse.

The whole scene brought Charlie and Illia to tears, to imagine the pain inflicted on these poor creatures. Charlie fully understood now why Vilkas was so resistant to explain what he was. Any guilt she had for putting down members of the Silver Hand vanished. She came to one cage and knelt, looking at the poor, tortured werewolf on the ground. 

"Poor thing…" Charlie said before she screamed as it suddenly lunged at her presence and fell back on her butt.

Vilkas went up to it, knowing it was not Skjor by smell, killed it quickly with his sword.

"Why did you kill it, Vilkas?! I thought you would want to save your fellow werewolves," Charlie said in frustration at his actions, not understanding.

He looked at her, brows furrowed in slight frustration in return at her lack of understanding. "Charlie, that one was no longer what he once was. He most likely had no more memories of being human. If I had let him out, he would have slaughtered all of us and who knows how many more innocents. I cannot help them when they are like that. The best thing to do is put him out of his misery."

"I...I get it. I'm sorry. I should have known better." She felt bad for getting angry at him, realizing she would have done the same to any animal that was suffering and had no chance to live.

As they moved on, they found rows and rows of cells. Vilkas and Illia had to kill several Silver Hand to proceed. 

"Vilkas!" Oz shouted out. "Over here! I found him!"

"Is...is he alive?"

"Yes, I am alive, you ass...get me the fuck out of here," Skjor complained, though weakly. He was in a lot of pain and weak from the silver cuts inflicted upon him. 

Charlie ran and inspected the dead Silver Hand for keys; once she found them, she ran back and unlocked Skjor's cell door. His white hair was now red, face covered in dried blood, broken nose, bruises, and a split lip. He was hardly recognizable.

Illia's hand glowed as she started to heal him. His face was clearing up, but any wounds inflicted with silver remained. "Why can I not heal these? They...they are not healing!"

"Because of the silver, my dear," Skjor informed her. "I will have to heal these on my own if I can."

Oz opened up his pack and pulled out his first aid kit and treated all of Skjor's wounds as best he could, bandaging them up to stop the bleeding. "That should help some as well."

"Thank you. Vilkas, they have it. They have the Wuuthrad fragments. We cannot let the Silver Hand have them," Skjor explained.

Anger lit in Vilkas' eyes, not knowing how the Silver Hand got ahold of the pieces. Perhaps the reason behind their ambush at Jorrvaskr. "No, we cannot. Are you OK if we leave you here for now while we go the rest of the way and find the pieces?"

"Yes, please be careful. There are many Silver Hand. They have the pieces in their dining hall not much further."

"Aye, we will be back."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figured it was time Kodlak and Skjor lived ;).
> 
> Next: Defeating Silver Hand once and for all and the demands of Meridia.


	29. Death of an Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Defeating the Silver Hand and retrieving pieces Wuuthrad. Meridia is so demanding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, commenting and kudos! Keeps me truckin'! <3

_Skyrim - Driftshade Refuge - Tirdas, 30th of Rain’s Hand 4E 200_

_The dining hall is filled with 3,5...no 11 Silver Hand_ , Vilkas counted in his head. The odds were not great, but he has encountered worse. Though, he had to admit that this group was unusually organized and well-equipped. They had to be bold enough to attack Jorrvaskr full of Companions.

They all knew this was the end of the line, so Oz and Charlie didn’t worry about the noise as they aimed their guns, firing, taking out as many Silver Hand as quick as they could. They couldn’t get them all as six remained. The remaining Silver Hand scrambled in fear, not knowing what the noise was or what was killing their fellow members.

It was Illia’s turn as she dual cast her chain lightning, firing it at two helpless thugs as their insides incinerated while Charlie fired another round missing a man as he dove out of the way just in time.

Vilkas was fighting two at once with his sword as Oz tried to get a bead on one of them, but Vilkas was too fast and continuously in the way. _Move, Vilkas...move!_ Vilkas received a slice on his arm for his efforts from one of the Silver Hand, but it did not slow him down, decapitating one of them, drenching himself in blood. Charlie took aim at the last one who was about to cut into Vilkas while he was distracted, killing him. The two remaining were quickly scorched with Illia’s electricity and fell dead. 

Illia reached Vilkas, quickly forgetting she could not heal him due to the silver. He was bleeding down his arm, dripping down to his fingers and onto the floor as he held it limply, in pain. He gritted his teeth as he removed his armor so Oz could treat him instead. It was a large gash, and Oz had to suture it with needle and thread from his first aid kit. Vilkas grimaced, groaning a couple of times, as the needle eased in and out of flesh, thread pulled tight. Oz then cleaned the wound and bandaged it up.

“There, good as new. Those stitches will need to be removed in a couple of weeks. I highly recommend you keep the area clean. If you have some sort of medicine to prevent infection, I suggest you use that as well.”

“Thank you,” Vilkas replied appreciatively.

On the dining table, he gathered all the Wuuthrad pieces and placed them in his bag. 

“What is Wuuthrad, exactly,” Oz asked.

“Broken pieces of a great-axe that once belonged to Ysgramor. Ysgramor was an Atmoran warrior and was the founder of the Companions, though we are a shadow of what we once were. Ysgramor brought men to this continent of Tamriel and who eventually became the Nords we are today. He is an integral part of our history. 

He settled in Skyrim and built a great city called Saarthal. Men and Snow Elves of the time remained at peace until the elves attacked and killed almost all of them. Ysgramor and his sons lived and fled back to Atmora. When the Atmorans heard about the slaughter, Ysgramor formed the Five Hundred Companions who retook Saarthal and had the Snow Elves scattered and on the run, which allowed men to gain a more significant foothold in Skyrim and beyond.”

“I can see why it’s so important to you then. A fascinating piece of your history, indeed,” Charlie exclaimed.

“Aye. Alright, we better get Skjor now and send him back to Jorrvaskr with the fragments. Illia, can we manage on one horse? We will have to walk the rest of the way,” Vilkas asked.

“Yes, we are close enough that we do not need to ride. Though it will take us much longer to get back,” she explained. 

Vilkas waved a hand as if it were trivial. “We can go to Winterhold and rent another.”

“I wonder though...you mention Saarthal. That might be the very place we need to go,” Illia said, changing the subject.

“Aye, if we are headed to Winterhold, it could very well be.”

As they were heading out, a bizarre object caught Oz’s eye. A gleam of light hit him, and he went over to inspect it. It looked like a large, multi-faceted gem. It was huge, almost the size of a person’s head. “What the hell is that?” he exclaimed as he reached for it. As soon as he picked it up, he fumbled it in his hand, almost dropping it, but quickly put it back down on the table. “What the fuck!! Did you all hear that?”

Illia looked at him with concern. “I did not hear anything.” Charlie and Vilkas shook their heads in agreement with Illia.

“I...I heard a voice when I picked up that gem.”

“Interesting…” Illia inspected the gem closer, analyzing it. “I do not know what it is,” she admitted as she reached for it, but Oz stopped her from touching it.

“Don’t Illia; it doesn’t seem safe.”

“It did not hurt you did it? You just heard a voice?”

“No, it didn’t hurt me, but still…”

She ignored his warning and picked it up, hearing the same voice Oz did. 

_“A new hand touches the beacon. Listen. Hear me and obey. A foul darkness has seeped into my temple. A darkness that you will destroy. Return my beacon to Mount Kilkreath. And I will make you the instrument of my cleansing light.”_

Once the voice was finished, Illia placed the item in her pack, completely unfazed by what just happened.

“Who are you,” Illia asked, looking up at the ceiling as if the being was right there in front of her.

“I am Meridia, and you will return my beacon as you are told. I have a mission for you, and you will be greatly rewarded for your efforts.”

Illia sighed in frustration. “Do we have a choice?”

“There is always a choice. You choose to serve me, or you disobey me. One way or the other, I will get my beacon. Serving me will grant you a great boon.”

“Very well.”

“Were you talking to that voice? What was that about?” Oz asked.

“Yes, I was talking to Meridia, I think. It is about a tool we need, maybe, that will help us in our quest to defeat Salazar. I believe this is Meridia’s Beacon. She called it a ‘beacon,’ and from what I read, Meridia has a temple on Mount Kilkreath. This has to be the same beacon.”

“So, what does that mean, Illia?” Charlie asked.

“If the legends are true, and if we return her beacon, we will be rewarded with a special weapon that may help us defeat Salazar. Despite him wanting me there, he still will not make it easy on us, especially for you three. As a necromancer, he will undoubtedly raise the dead in the tomb to hinder our progress.”

Vilkas, always interested in weapons, was intrigued. “What sort of weapon?”

“Dawnbreaker. Meridia is a Daedric Prince…”

“Whoa, hold up a minute...I thought you said Daedric Princes where evil,” Charlie protested.

“Well, as far as evil goes, I guess Meridia as being the least evil among them, if at all. She is believed to have been a divine being at one point and was cast out for illicit behavior. She has a special hatred for the undead, which Skyrim has in abundance, and rewards those who defeat them. It includes hatred for necromancers, while that is good, she is also known for being the Lady of Greed and collects human specimens for her own...I don’t know what she does with them, to be honest. 

She can also bestow immortality, but it is at a cost. One who wishes to achieve immortality through Meridia does so at the risk of their will. They are no longer the person they once were. She controls them, and she can do this to those that defy her as well as punishment calling it ‘purification.’ I have held the beacon, as has Oz. We now have to return it regardless if we do not want to risk her ire, but at least at the end of it, we should receive a powerful weapon in order to assist in the defeat of Salazar.”

“Shit, why did I have to pick up that damned thing?” Oz scolded himself. “Now, we are sent on another quest that will cause a further delay.” 

Illia went to him and wrapped an arm around his waist, knowing he was feeling guilty. “It is what it is, Oz. We will just deal with it. None of us had any way of knowing...it could have been any of us who picked it up.”

“I still shouldn’t have done that. So, where is Mount Kilkreath?”

“Unfortunately, it is far, and in the complete opposite direction we need to go. It is close to Solitude.”

“Dammit,” Vilkas spat out. “That is at the other end of Skyrim! OK, we send Skjor back with a horse, and we walk to Dawnstar instead as it is closer and rent a horse from there. We are going to need it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Driftshade Refuge - Tirdas, 30th of Rain’s Hand 4E 200_

Skjor was sent back with the Wuuthrad pieces, still injured, but he reassured them that he would live and make it back as they pressed on with their remaining horse to Dawnstar. 

While Vilkas and Illia were used to the cold, Charlie and Oz were not as they shivered, though they layered with clothes, hats, scarves, and gloves. The further North they went in Skyrim, the colder it got. North of Skyrim was so cold it was perpetually covered in snow and ice.

“It is so beautiful here with all the ice, glaciers, and mountains, but damn, how do you all tolerate the cold all the time?” Charlie complained, teeth chattering and wiped her runny nose with her gloved hand, not having any tissues on hand.

Vilkas wrapped his arm around her to help warm her up, though he doubted she would get much heat through his armor. “Well, we get used to it. It is not always this cold, though. This far up North is always snowing, but back in Whiterun, we have some warm days to come in the next couple of months.”

“Thank god...not that we will probably be here that long…” she trailed off what she was saying because the thought of eventually leaving him pained her, and she didn’t want to think about it until that time came. 

“Aye…” Vilkas did not know what to say either as the thought of losing her was painful for him as well. He thought about what he would do when she left. Thoughts of staying with her in her realm crossed his mind for a brief moment, but he pushed those thoughts away. He would not do well in her world, and he could not leave his brother, not for anyone, even Charlie. Farkas was his only family.

They reached Dawnstar a couple of hours later, stabling their horse to be fed and groomed while they trudged their way through the slushy road to Windpeak Inn for the night. Inside, Vilkas instantly went to the innkeeper to rent them two rooms, food, and drinks. He brought the drinks over and sat down while they waited for their food. “Illia, tell me about this sword...Dawnbreaker, you called it?”

“Yes, I know very little to be honest. From what I read, I know it is a gift from Meridia. It has a unique enchantment called “Meridia’s Retribution,” which I believe causes the undead to explode when they are hit with it, killing other undead in its path. As I said, she has a special hatred for things undead like Draugr, the skeletons that roam the country, Vampires and such.”

“Wait a minute...You have Vampires too? Why am I even surprised?” Charlie was dumbfounded. 

“Yes, there are Vampires as well,” Illia confirmed.

“Seriously, between the undead, werewolves...no offense Vilkas, and Vampires on top of all the creatures, it’s a wonder anyone is still alive in this world.”

Illia smiled at the woman, understanding her concern. “Well, you have dangerous things in your country, yet you still live.”

“True, but not things that creep in your room at night to suck your blood, unless it’s some little spider.”

“Oh, we have those too...one’s bigger than Oz and Vilkas.”

Charlie suddenly turned green. “Oh god, if I ever run into one of those, be sure to note that you will see me running the other direction, screaming like a girl.”

Illia laughed at the image. “But you are a girl.”

“True, but not an 8-year-old girl.”

Illia laughed and continued with her story. “The draugr and undead tend to stay in the crypts. There are many tales as to why they are still walking, so I will not get into that. Dawnbreaker will be a useful weapon against them, and I am sure Salazar, now that he is in an old ruin, will be filled with the undead.”

Oz and Illia were on a bench as he pulled her in so she could lean on him as he wrapped an arm around her. “I just wish it wasn’t so far away,” he lamented.

“I know, and I am sorry about that. There is nothing we can do now once you touched the beacon. Hopefully, we can just return it and be done with it, but I am certain she will have a task for us. She is supposed to hand the sword over to those who do her bidding, among other things.”

“How long will it take us to reach...Solitude, is that what you called it?” Oz asked.

“It should take us around two days on horseback,” Vilkas explained.

After dinner, they decided not to drink too much and headed to their rooms for the night. They were to get an early start in the morning.

Oz looked at the bed with great disappointment. “Is that seriously hay? Are we sleeping on hay and slats of wood? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Though I’m thoroughly missing the city and my bed at this moment.”

“Just lay your sleeping bag on top. That will help soften things. I am sorry it is not as comfortable as you would like, Oz. For me, I am just glad we are not sleeping outside in the cold.”

“Sorry, I’m not trying to complain. I’m just not much of a rural or outdoor kind of guy. Though I am quite happy to be with you.”

“I understand. You feel just as out of place here as I did in your world. I know how you feel. It would make sense you are not comfortable. And I am happy you are here too.”

He reached for her, pulling her close, face to neck to inhale her warmth and light scent of lavender as she wrapped her arms around him. “I wish…,” he said, but he couldn’t finish.

“What do you wish, Oz?” she asked, knowing he stopped himself so he would not have to say.

“I...I just wish the circumstances were different. I can’t help but feel...I don’t know. I just don’t want to stop seeing you when this is all over.”

She wrapped her hands around his face and pulled him in for a light kiss. It was the longest she had ever been with a man; the others were always flings or quick romps in the hay. She understood how he felt as she had the same feelings. “I know...I feel the same. I...I just do not know what to do about it.”

Foreheads pressed together, eyes closed wishing they could say the true thoughts on their minds, but afraid to as neither wanted to face the pain yet.

“Come on, let’s get some sleep. We have to be up early,” Oz finally said after a long silence of holding each other.

Vilkas, on the other hand, since he had been back in Skyrim with his beast louder and stronger than ever, would have been happy to take Charlie every night if she had let him. When they entered their room, he had her pressed up against the wall, kissing her, wanting to taste her everywhere. But this was not one of those nights she was going to let him as she pushed him off of her.

“I would love nothing more than to have you right now, but we have to be up very early, and I’m exhausted from today. Urgh, you’re insatiable,” she giggled as he forced his face into her neck, his hot breath tickling her. “Back…back!” she demanded, still laughing.

“Fine, but if we have time in Solitude, I want you, and there may be no stopping me,” he informed her as he pressed his lips tightly to hers, Charlie melting into him.

“OK, you can do with me as you wish once we get there...it’s impossible to resist you for long anyway.”

“That is my girl...now she is getting it.”

Charlie laughed and slapped his arm. “Ass…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Dark ruins and cozy inn's.


	30. Breaking the Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team fight for Meridia and they are rewarded with a magical sword to help fight against the dead when they confront Salazar. The couples seek downtime before they have to head back to find Salazar. 
> 
> * I tried not to over-focus the Meridia questline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sexual content...NSFW.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading, comment, and kudos! It keeps me truckin'! <3

_Skyrim - Solitude - Fredas, 3rd of Second Seed 4E 200_

It took a little longer to get to Solitude than they would have liked after crossing the swampy marshes, struggling to maneuver the horses through the lack of dry land on foot and to prevent feet from getting wet and cold. By early morning the next day, they finally reached Solitude.

Charlie loved Solitude with its beautiful old buildings and throng of people. The large town was crowded, and she was in awe looking at the different races, a few she had not seen before. _Is that a lizard man? Wow!_ Some even looked like walking, talking cats just outside of town. The elves looked beautiful and regal to her, especially the dark ones with their exotic red eyes. _I remember seeing one in Whiterun and one in Jorrvaskr...beautiful._ Solitude was diverse, very much like her city of DC, and she loved it.

"I wish we had time to look around," Charlie pouted. "Here I am in some foreign world and I can barely take the time to take it all in. I may never get a chance again. I know we have a job to do, but this place is amazing!"

"I am sorry, Charlie. I wish we had the time too. I never got to get out very much either and explore. I barely know my own country. Anyway, we really need to rent two rooms at the Winking Skeever, take what we need from our packs, as Mount Kilkreath is not very far and leave everything else locked in our rooms, then head out after breakfast. Who knows how long this will take us. If it does not take too long, perhaps we will have a bit of time to explore the city," Illia informed her.

"I know. It's just there is so much to see in your country, and it's flying right by me. I’m missing everything."

"As if I would let you have time to explore. I have got my own exploring to do," Vilkas said, suddenly kissing her neck.

"What has gotten into recently," Charlie giggled, pushing him away. "You've been insatiable!"

"I am home…," he said simply as if that explained everything.

After dropping off all their packs and grabbing essentials, they met downstairs for a quick breakfast and headed out. Mount Kilkreath was only a few miles away.

As they got closer, Meridia's statue was massive in the distance on top of a cliff. "There it is. That is a statue of Meridia herself."

"Wow, she looks like some goddess or an angel!" Charlie exclaimed.

"Well, apparently she was at one point, but no longer. OK, let us get this over with," Illia replied.

As soon as Illia approached the statue, Meridia emerged from her statue as if a beautiful ghost. Robes swaying in the wind as her massive wings kept her hovering in the air as she addressed the entire group this time. "Look at my temple, lying in ruins. So much for the constancy of mortals, their crafts and their hearts. If they love me not, how can my love reach them? Restore to me my beacon, that I might guide you toward your destiny."

Illia placed the beacon in the slot below Meridia's statue as she was instructed. "What would you have us do?

"The token of my truth lies buried in the ruins of my once great temple, now tainted by a profane darkness skittering within. The Necromancer Malkoran defiles my shrine with vile corruptions, trapping lost souls left in the wake of this war to do his bidding. Worse still, he uses the power stored within my own token to fuel his foul deeds. I have brought you here, mortals, to be my champions. You will enter my temple, retrieve my artifact, and destroy the defiler. Guide my light through the temple to open the inner sanctum and destroy him."

 _Malkoran sounds similar to Salazar_. "If we do this for you, can we ask for your aid? We too seek a necromancer who is harvesting souls for immortality. He has taken great relics to do so in his attempt to live forever at the expense of Nirn and Earth. The Eye of Magnus is unstable. We must stop him before it is too late, but he is more powerful than I am."

"You will have Dawnbreaker should you succeed in vanquishing Malkoran."

"That will indeed be a great honor to wield such a weapon, but that will not stop Salazar, only his minions. We may need your aid when the time comes. You should know that should you help us, we will refuse to be purified in return. My two companions are humans of Earth who have their own destinies and my werewolf friend is already bound to Hircine. My own destiny is to stop and destroy necromancy, but I will do so in your name."

Meridia was quiet for a while, thinking about what was being asked of her. "Very well, if you can destroy Malkoran and cleanse my temple, I will think about helping you should the need arise. I get nothing out of helping you; thus, I make no promises."

"You will get the vanquishing of a great necromancer who is plaguing our lands. But, we would be honored to cleanse your temple."

"Of course you will. I have commanded it! Go now, the artifact must be reclaimed and Malkoran destroyed. He has forced the doors shut, but this is my temple, and it responds to my decree. I will send down a ray of light. Guide this light through my temple, and its doors will open."

To prove her point, Meridia's beacon burst forth a beam of light that shot into the sky. The four, now vanquishers of necromancy, headed below through the temple. Upon entering, the old and mossy stone floors were littered with the decayed corpses of Imperials and Stormcloaks, lying together as if there was never a Civil War. The stench of death hit their nostrils along with dank wetness. The odor was nauseating and took a while for their noses to become desensitized to the putridness.

Charlie and Oz withdrew their guns, ready for anything. Meridia's light led them to a large room that held a pedestal in its center. "Do not touch the light," Illia informed them. "Who knows if it is safe or not." She inspected the pedestal and found a notch on the side and pressed it. The light swelled on the pedestal and shot forth another ray of light, presumably to the next pedestal, unlocking large iron doors in the process.

"What the fuck are those things?!" Oz grunted quietly, pointing at the black, ghost-like, skeletal sentries floating around with swords.

"I...I have no idea," Illia responded. "Necromancers can bring the dead back to life in a way, but I have never seen creatures such as these before. I am assuming it is because he is using Dawnbreaker to bring them back."

"Well, no time like the present to see if we can destroy them," Vilkas said as he ran off with his sword, ready to cut them down. The black dead creatures were ready for him as they shot fire and electricity in his direction, which he deftly dodged before cutting into one of them with his sword. The dead creature melted into a puddle of ectoplasmic goo on the ground.

Illia struggled with killing them with her magic as they could use wards and heal themselves, so she removed her mother’s old staff, waving it in the air, slamming it on the ground. A massive wall of fire burst forth, incinerating the dead creatures in one blow, but she was unable to get them all.

Oz and Charlie were then forced to use their guns, the sound reverberating loudly through the entire decrepit ruin, sure to draw the attention of every dead thing in the place. Guns were powerful, but they were far from silent. Once the creatures were killed, they had to move fast, lighting the next pedestal. 

_At least my friends are protected with their amulets_ , thought Illia.

Charlie would have been fascinated with the ruins had it not been entirely creepy. It took away any interest or awe she would have typically reserved for the old place. Wasting no time, they all quickly followed the rays of light to each pedestal, killing off creepy floating dead things that had arisen thanks to Malkoran.

Due to all the gunfire, they did not have a chance to slow down to plan or discuss how best to approach Malkoran. They had to go in, ready, using their quick thinking to find the targets and eliminate them with no time to see all the dead bodies strewn all over the ground surrounding the bastard, who was firing powerful frost spells at the group. Vilkas was wiping out the creatures, while Oz and Charlie were tucked away behind the door, taking out more creatures with their guns, as Illia fought off Malkoran. 

Illia knew he would be powerful, and he was quickly wearing down her ward spell, but Malkoran was distracted trying to kill Illia as Vilkas crept up behind the necromancer. Vilkas, sword raised, ready to decapitate, but found his body flying back against the wall, while the warlock continued his assault on Illia. 

Malkoran barely moved, so Oz was able to get a bead on him with his Glock, taking careful aim before he pulled the trigger, killing him with a precise headshot. Once the creatures and Malkoran lay dead, they surprisingly had to kill him once more when he became the very creature he summoned. Once he was finally dead, Charlie ran to Vilkas to check on him. 

"You know, it is becoming a habit of getting thrown against stone walls, and I am getting tired of it," he griped, rubbing his head as Charlie helped him up.

"Well, you must not be too injured if you can bitch about it," she teased back. "In all seriousness, I'm glad you are OK."

Vilkas pulled her in, held her, and gave her a kiss on the head as they all started to take stock of the vileness of the place with the dead bodies everywhere. 

"I have seen a lot of death from being a cop, but I have never seen this much death and murder. How many bodies do you think are lying around? It's astounding how little regard this monster had for life," Oz said in disgust as he checked on Illia to make sure she was OK. "This is one man I'm glad to see no longer lives."

"There it is," Illia said, pointing at a sword buried into a pedestal.

Meridia's voice could suddenly be heard through the chamber, echoing off of its ancient walls. "It is done. The defiler is defeated. Take Dawnbreaker from its pedestal." 

Illia did as she was told and effortlessly removed Dawnbreaker as the hilt glowed brightly in her hand. It was a beauty to behold as they all stared in awe at it. She handed it to Vilkas as he was the only one with any ability to wield it. "Here, you are the only one who knows how to use a sword, so you are now in charge of it."

As soon as Vilkas grasped the sword, their world went dark, and they found themselves outside the temple next to Merida's statue once more. 

"Urgh, well, that was slightly disconcerting…" Charlie complained, trying to steady herself.

"Malkoran is vanquished. Skyrim's dead shall remain at rest. This is as it should be. This is because of you. A new day is dawning, and you shall be its herald. Take the mighty Dawnbreaker and with it purge corruption from the dark corners of the world. Wield it in my name, so that my influence may grow."

Illia wanted to tell her that she wanted the sword but was not going to do so in her name, but they needed her, and if she pleased Meridia, perhaps the Daedric Prince would come to their aid should they need it. "We will wield this mighty blade in your name."

"May the light of certitude guide your efforts." With that, Meridia was silent.

"I have to admit, it is a beautiful sword," Vilkas admired as he cut and slashed the air with it. 

"I'm just glad we are all OK. That was harrowing and disgusting. Remind me to never explore one of your ruins again," Oz complained as he dusted off cobwebs and some ectoplasmic goo from his arm.

"I am sorry to say, Oz, that this will not be the last time. We still have to deal with Salazar," Illia said, understanding how he was feeling.

"I know. I just felt like bitching."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Jeez, Vilkas, you sure have been frisky lately," Charlie laughed as he plunged his lips to her neck as soon as their door shut behind them. 

He had been staring at her through their entire dinner, thinking about having her and waiting patiently as they finished their baths. But he could no longer hold back. "I am just happy to have a chance alone with you finally," he responded between rough kisses to her neck and face.

Vilkas effortlessly removed all her clothes, wasting no time in removing his and lifted her in his arms so he could kiss her without him bending down or her reaching. Since he had been back home, he felt so much more himself and more at ease with Charlie than before, happy that she wanted him in return.

He had Charlie pressed up against the wall, kissing, feeling wetness on his stomach, legs wrapped around his hips.

"Are you going to take me like this, big guy?"

He pulled away from her throat to look at her pretty gray-blue eyes. Eyes that changed color depending on her mood and color of her clothes. A smirk appeared on the corner of his mouth, his eyes telling her he wanted just that. "I would like to…yes."

She wanted to as well, forcing her lips to his. He maneuvered himself and entered into her warmth with a sigh, holding himself still for a moment, mouth to mouth before he rolled his hips back and forth, holding onto her tightly. 

Making sure Charlie was pressed up against the wall and holding her with one arm, he placed his thumb at her bud and rubbed as he thrust into her. He could feel her getting warmer and wetter with his touch. He wanted her breasts too, but he just could not do both without dropping her. Pleasing her was more important. He watched her close her eyes to his touch, throwing her head back onto the wall, mouth slightly open as she rapidly breathed. He wanted to watch her as she was pleasured; wanting her to do it before he did. 

The warmth was spreading, and he could tell she was close as her muscles contracted tightly around him. Watching her face and feeling her pulse around him was enough to drive him crazy as her body stiffened around his hardness, clenched fingers digging into his shoulders. Her moaning did not help him in holding on. The tightness around him wanting to push faster, harder. He kissed her as she was still moaning in order to distract himself from below until she was done.

When he was sure she was done, he thrust hard and deep into her, gliding effortlessly in and out. Apparently, she wanted to watch him as well as she grasped his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her as he exploded, but his eyes slammed tightly shut in pleasure, groaning loudly. She enjoyed feeling him pulse within her as well, feeling her pleasure swell up again from feeling his. 

He gave her a sweaty and breathy kiss. Tired from the day's excursions, he finally put her down. Holding her hand, he pulled her into bed with him.

"Almost forgot…" Charlie dug in her bag and pulled out some sort of medicine and swallowed it dry.

"What is that I see you swallowing all the time?"

"They are the reason you can stay in me after making love," she explained and got back into bed. "It keeps me from having unexpected children."

"I see. We have something similar here, but it is in potion form." He pulled her in close to him, facing her and brushed her bangs out of her face. "Do you ever want children?"

"I don't know. I guess so. It's hard for women like me to have children. I mean my work can be long hours, late nights, always on call… Not that it matters, no one has ever asked to marry me anyway."

"I find that hard to believe…"

"Why is that hard to believe? I'm scarred, slightly damaged from my past; and I have a demanding job."

He watched her and listened as she demeaned herself, not understanding why. "How can you say that? You are beautiful, smart, funny, even if it is at my expense most of the time."

"I don't know, maybe it's because I can drink men under the table despite my small stature and belch louder than they do," she bantered, not knowing how to handle the compliments as she wasn't used to them. It wasn't that she was overly insecure, she just wasn't used to men talking to her like that. It was just easier to deflect with the put-downs than it was to address or accept the compliments.

"See, that is even more appealing!" he laughed despite knowing she was deflecting. "Well, you may not believe it, but I adore everything about you."

"You say that now, but…" There was another joke on her lips, but he silenced it with a finger pressed to her lips. When she quieted, he pressed his lips to hers, giving her tender and delicate kisses. He pulled her in closer as she draped her body around him for sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illia and Oz were snuggled tightly in bed as he played with her hair while she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, head slowly bobbing up and down with his rhythmic breathing. The smell of lavender coming off of her body after her bath was intoxicating.

"You were pretty amazing today, Illia. Well, you're always amazing, but watching you in action the past week has been quite impressive. You are a force to be reckoned with."

"Thank you. It is hard and scary, but I am trying my best."

"I would worry if you didn't find it scary. You work well under pressure. I know you worried for a while about not being able to control yourself, and even if you were afraid, it was hard to tell."

"You are impressive yourself, Oz."

"Nah, all I do is point and shoot. I'm not much use without the gun. I try not to even do that while working as a cop. Despite investigating murder all the time, I’m rarely confronted by danger."

"I am sure not everyone can shoot and do it well under pressure," she retorted, using his own words.

Illia did not want to talk anymore about what they did earlier that day or what they were about to do, having to face Salazar. She just wanted to think about the present, something she was trying to do more and more of, trying to forget her past, yet not looking forward to her future. Though with Oz, she was starting to develop happier memories she could look back on.

She dragged delicate fingers down his tight stomach, her hand roaming between his legs, slipping under his boxers and felt him get hard. She smiled at how quickly he responded to even her simplest of touches. Kissing his chest and stomach, his reactions encouraged her to move her kisses down between his legs as she pulled off his underwear. He bent down and kissed his hardness, expectantly waiting for her mouth.

"I'm afraid I have not had much practice at this, so I may be lagging in areas…" She tried with him once before, he had not let her finish.

"I don't think it cares…" he laughed.

“I care.” 

She grasped his hardness with one hand while she ran her tongue up and down, feeling his warmth and tasting the saltiness at his wet tip. 

He spread his legs in anticipation with her teases, hinting that he would love nothing more than to have her wrap her mouth around him.

She finally complied with his silent wishes as she inserted him into her mouth as far as possible. Whatever she could not fit, she used her hand to do the rest. She tried to recall memories of past romps and what she did before and what they taught her. Gliding her wet mouth, she moved slowly up and down, her hand moving in tandem as she broke away to tease him with her tongue again, rolling it on his sensitive tip. His masculine smells sending waves of desire through her as she took him in once again, squeezing a bit tighter, moving a bit faster. She knew he was close as he started to harden even more under her grasp, gyrating along with her movements, twitching, a soft grunt here and there.

He tangled fingers through her thick dark hair, pulling, struggling not to yank too hard as he gently moved her head to a speed he desired. His body froze, but only for a moment as he thrust into her mouth, exploding as she swallowed all that he gave her, moaning loudly, not caring who heard through the thin wooden walls.

Slightly shaking, yet feeling numb, when he was done, he pulled her up to him as he worked his way down to her, wanting to taste her as well, but she stopped him. "No."

"Why not? I want to."

"That was for you, and now I am tired. It has been a very long day. You can help yourself next time," she smiled tiredly at him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, not wanting to leave her unsatisfied.

"I am positive. I am drained now."

Pulling her close, he snuggled behind her and cupped her breast as she wrapped her hand around his hand quickly falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Nightmares, confessions, and Salazar prepares for guests.


	31. Waking Nighmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Illia finds herself trapped in a dream state caused by Salazar, who is not happy for her delays in reaching him. Salazar awaits the arrival of his daughter impatiently. Oz and Illia profess true feelings for each other despite the odds. Charlie becomes conflicted with her relationship with Vilkas, afraid of the very feelings Oz and Illia have for each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting and kudos! It means so very much!

_Skyrim - Solitude - Loredas, 4th of Second Seed 4E 200_

_Walking, Illia could not see one foot in front of the other; the fog was so dense. The mist was swirling around her as if it had a life of its own—sentient. She turned her body in a complete circle to see if there was any light in any direction she could follow, but there was nothing as the fog enveloped her body, caressing it._

_The silence was deafening as she tried to push deeper into the fog to find a way through it. She ran through a list of spells she knew in her head to find one that perhaps could push aside the mist long enough, but there was nothing in her repertoire._

_It took her a moment to realize that she was also alone. Looking around suddenly, she called out. "Oz...Charlie...Vilkas?! Where are you?!" But only silence responded to her calls._

What is going on? Where am I?

_Illia was feeling the first pinprick of fear on the back of her neck, knowing something was not right. She was afraid to move forward, not knowing what lay before her, if anything. Before she could panic, she heard footsteps in the distance. The steps were unhurried yet with purpose, the sound getting louder as they neared and strangely echoed as if surrounded by walls._

_She looked out into the swirling mass of fog, trying to see who was approaching her._

_"Hello…," she yelled out, hoping whoever was coming near would identify themselves._

_The stranger did not respond as the footsteps grew louder and louder. She wanted to turn and run, but she had nowhere to go, unable to see before her. Regardless, she spun on her heels and walked the opposite direction from the sound, hoping to evade the individual walking towards her, her instincts telling her the person meant to harm._

_As she turned and walked, her pace quickened, yet she found the footsteps approaching her from her new direction._ No! How can this be? _With no other options, she readied her chain lightning spell to have ready should she need it, yet nothing happened on her hands. She pulled forth the Magicka, but she could not feel anything. Trying once more to cast her spell, her hands remained empty as the footsteps drew near._

_"Your spells will not work here, my dear," said the smooth and ethereal voice. It strangely echoed despite the density of the fog._

_She knew then who was quickly approaching her and her heart filled with dread, eyes filled with tears from the fear that coursed through her body—_ No, no, no! It can't be! 

_"Since you refuse to see me as I humbly requested, I have been forced to seek you out."_

_Illia looked out before her as the fog suddenly gave way to youthful Salazar. His cerulean blue eyes filled with anger at her delays to come to him. She backed away quickly as he approached her with purpose, fists clenched._

_"There is nowhere for you to hide, my dear. Nowhere for you to go, so quit your running. I will release you when I have finished with our father and daughter talk."_

_"I will never call you 'father!'" she spat in more defiance than she felt._

_"Call me what you will. It changes nothing," Salazar said with an indifferent wave of the hand._

_Salazar reached out to her and touched her face as she cringed, as if he would burn her, instead he pulled her in for a gentle hug._

_Her arms held limply at her sides, trembling in fear from his embrace then struggled to push him away._

_"I can feel your power when I hold you. You are so much stronger than your mother, more than you realize." He brushed away a fallen lock of hair from her face, as a lover might, and caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You are more beautiful than her, as well. You are your father's daughter...I run through your entire being."_

_The tears spilled down her face, not wanting to hear his corruptive words as she struggled to keep her arms at her sides instead of covering her ears uselessly. She did not want to feel his tenderness, his loving words as a true father who loves his daughter might. She knew he did not love her. He only loved her power and the belief that she was like him._

_"Tsk. Do not cry, my dear. You know I will never hurt you."_

_"Stop! Stop touching me! And yes, you would. If it is my life or yours, you will always choose your's first, so let us stop pretending that we are some loving family or that you even know what it is to love and care! You do not! The only thing you love is yourself and your power!"_

_"That was true once. You are right. But not since I knew I had a daughter...a powerful and beautiful daughter. You know your power. You witnessed it first-hand the day you tried to kill me and set the world on fire. So raw! I could help you...train you to control it."_

_"No! I do not want it! I do not care about such things as you and Mother. You all lived in your tiny little bubble of a world, not caring about the life around you. So selfish and greedy...always ready to inflict pain and death! I want life, love, and happiness."_

_"You want...you need. You are just as selfish, thinking about yourself as much as anyone else. Power or love...they are all selfish needs and quite normal desires. There is nothing wrong with some selfishness. Everyone is selfish with their wants and needs."_

_"No...no, stop! Stop twisting my words! You are a fucking manipulative bastard!"_

_She placed her hands uselessly on her ears, not wanting to listen to any more of his lies and manipulations._

_"I am not twisting words. I speak only the truth."_

_"Why do you torment me so!!!" she screamed, her voice echoing loudly despite the fog._

_"Is it torment for a father to love his daughter?! Yes, I suppose it is. Knowing you are out there, not coming to me, as I requested! I tried to be patient, but you are forcing me to come to you! That is a torment, and I am losing my patience!"_

_He saw Illia weeping in her hands from his outburst. He did not know why this gave him a pang of guilt. A feeling long since forgotten. He needed her, and in order for her to come to him willingly, he required her not to be afraid. But he also knew he would have her one way or another._

_"I am sorry, my dear. I did...I did not mean to yell at you so." He pulled her toward him in another embrace as she wept into his shoulder, though arms still refusing to touch him. "There, please, no more tears. I will wait for you, but do try to be swift, my dear Illia…"_

_"Now, it's time to wake up, Illia."_

_"Illia…" echoed in her mind from a faraway place._

"ILLIA! Wake up!!"

She suddenly sat up in bed, screaming, a cold sheen of sweat covering her body. She found herself shivering uncontrollably as she started to weep out loud. She felt warm arms around her, causing her to flinch, remembering her father holding her similarly.

Charlie and Vilkas burst into Illia and Oz's room. Her gun drawn and his sword ready for anything after hearing Oz yell out for Illia and hearing her scream, both expecting some deranged killer was attacking her, or worse, Salazar found her.

"What's going on?!" Charlie demanded, adrenaline pumping through her causing instant wakefulness after her deep sleep.

"Illia was having some sort of nightmare. It's OK. You can go back to bed."

Once Charlie and Vilkas retreated, Oz turned his attention back to Illia once more. "That was quite a dream. What happened?"

"It...it was only a dream?" she asked, nerves frayed, still shaking from her interactions with Salazar. "No..."

"Yes, you were kicking, flailing, crying out and talking, though I couldn't make out the words. I have been trying to wake you for about 5 minutes. You were unresponsive, and it was starting to scare me."

"I...I think Salazar had me in some sort of trance or spell. I did not even know mages could do such a thing. He had a hold of me in some dream-like state to talk to me."

Illia drew up her knees and held them tightly, burying her head in them and tried to stop the crying. She could feel Oz wrap his arms around her once more, but she did not flinch this time, allowing him to pull her close to him. Feeling his lips pressed to her head strangely renewed her tears—perhaps a feeling of safety and relief. 

"He can do that? Fuck! What did the asshole want this time?"

"He is reminding me that he is still waiting. He is losing his patience. He... he is so tender, delicate, loving... I am so confused."

"Stop! Please don't tell me you are conflicted...that he actually loves you? I know all of us would love nothing more than to have loving parents who are always proud of us, but he's manipulating you. He wants you to be willing."

"I...I know...he just keeps making me doubt myself. He is so much like my mother, but he is gentle, where she was harsh. It is...confusing."

Oz found himself terrified that Salazar will eventually win Illia over, that he would finally break down her will. He knew she understood how dangerous he was, but her need to be loved by a parent was evident after having spent her whole life abused. Oz was going to have to remind her that she didn't need the love from that murderer. That others truly cared about her.

"I understand how you must be feeling. I know being abused for most of your life, you may have this want to be loved by a parent, but please remember that he's never been a parent. He only seeks more power, and you give that to him. I really hate to tell you this, but he's abusing you as well. It's emotional and psychological rather than physical. You also boost his already overblown ego."

She just nodded, trying to shake the whole scene with Salazar.

"Illia, please look at me."

She tentatively looked back at him, so tired of her emotions being all over the map and being so confused, continually doubting herself.

"Illia, he is not worthy of you. You don't need his sort of love. We all care about you...Charlie, Vilkas...I care about you. I care more than you know." Oz cupped her chin up and planted light kisses on her lips and face. He wanted to tell her he loved her, but it wasn't the time nor the place to burden her with such things. But perhaps it was the very thing she needed to hear. He was torn. Loving someone was no small thing, especially if they were to be separated eventually. _No, I can't do that to her_.

"Oz?"

"Yes?" he responded, holding her tightly, not wanting to let her go.

"Do you love me?" It was such a blunt question, and it was almost as if she were reading his mind. It was not unlike Illia to not only notice but to be so forthcoming with her thoughts. It was one of the reasons he liked her so much.

"I…" _What should I tell her? Shit, why does this have to be so fucking hard? It's hard, Detective because you two won't be..._

She interrupted his thoughts, and before he could answer. "Because I love you. I...I know it may sound like a desperate plea after what I just went through with Salazar, but that is not the reason. It has just forced me to tell you. You have been so kind, caring...you took care of me when I needed it and when I was desperate, which you did not have to. You believed me and supported me. You even followed me to the unknown! And you did not leave my side once when I was at my lowest...that you were not afraid, bringing me back from the brink. I...I have to tell you before, if...if something should happen to me. I do not want it to be one of those things I did not do or say until it is too late to do so."

"Illia...I...I understand, but...shit. We aren't going to stay together. You have this world, and I have mine. I know you are expressive in how you feel, but is this the best thing we should deal with and embrace? It's going to be painful when we separate. And there is no way you are dying at his hands as far as I can help it."

"Of course, it is going to be painful. Even if we do not face what we are feeling, it is going to hurt regardless. Feelings are feelings, whether we are open with them or not. Pretending they do not exist does not change that fact. If you do not tell me, that is your choice, but I know it anyway whether you tell me or not. I see it, and I love you too..."

She was right. It was going to be painful regardless of Oz admitting such feelings or not. "You are right. Hiding it doesn't make it go away. Yes, I do love you."

Illia wrapped herself close to him and found herself weeping again, though not out of sadness or fear, but one of hope. 

Oz laid back down on the bed, pulling her down with him, not letting her go. He could feel her breathing slow, and her body got heavy as she relaxed back into sleep. His sleep was not as forthcoming as he lay there, thinking about what they admitted to each other. He was not sure how he was going to handle the inevitable separation from her. Thoughts of staying here crossed his mind, but he couldn't, despite how much he cared for her. He was not adapted to this type of environment, and he knew he would struggle, and their relationship would falter in return. He also knew he couldn't leave his family and would miss them too much. _We are just going to have to suffer it when the time comes._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Saarthal - Loredas, 4th Second Seed 4E 200_

Saarthal was the old Nord city, the first city of man, he discovered, that held the Eye of Magnus. He never learned why the Eye was located in Saarthal of all places. He did not know if it had always been there or was found and placed in the old ruins. It mattered not. It was the Eye he needed, and all his research led him to Saarthal. 

Salazar had the entire ruins heavily warded and protected with traps, draugr, and walking skeletons to keep out others who may stumble upon the ruins or manage to get past his wards. He had to be especially careful being so close to the College of Winterhold, which was full of mages, some of whom might be strong enough to get through.

Salazar paced back and forth in the large chamber room where the Eye was initially discovered. It was his new lair since the last one was found. He was getting impatient, waiting on Illia. He was tired of waiting and putting his mission on hold for her. He needed to get back to Earth, gather his souls, then stabilize the Eye before it was too late, and the realms were destroyed. There was no point in trying to be a virtual god if everyone was dead.

His obsession with her was apparent, but he ignored it. He knew it was more his doing, not hers, that was putting everything on hold. But he had to have her by his side. She was all he could think about since the day he saw her there at the site of the third murder. Illia discovered him watching, and since then, he knew she was special, he just did not know in what way until he found out she was his own powerful daughter.

He was furious with Silvia. He had loved her once, but he would not have hesitated to kill her had he known he had a daughter that she beat regularly. It was not that he was mortified by child abuse; it was that Silvia ruined those beautiful and powerful hands, preventing Illia from learning her true potential. But with her by his side, he could make her more powerful than she ever dreamed, maybe even more so than him. Her mother made her weak of mind, too afraid and tentative of her power, but with his guidance and tender care, she could be mentally stable again. Strong enough to wield the power within her.

Salazar reached out to her that night, impatient, trying to find out what was causing her delay. She was so beautiful there in the fog, holding her as she wept. She did not hold him back, but the second time, she did not push away either. He had a fraction of guilt when he hurt her by yelling at her. It was a strange feeling, but it was fleeting. 

He wondered in the back of his mind if she was right. If he had to choose between saving himself or saving her, who would he choose? No, as much as he wanted his daughter by his side, he could not let even her interfere with his plans. He must continue with or without her. He had invested too much in giving up, but he will strive to do his best to keep her with him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Solitude - Loredas, 4th of Second Seed 4E 200_

It was dawn when they gathered the horses from the Solitude stables and made their way East towards Winterhold, where the ruins in Illia's visions were located.

Illia sat in front, reins in hand, while Oz held her from behind. Holding and touching her took on a whole new meaning after they expressed how they felt to each other. His stomach fluttered at the sight of her, and holding her made him feel warm despite the frigid temperatures.

As they were riding out, Charlie could see her friend had changed since last night. Oz was looking at Illia with great tenderness; his touches were even different—deferential yet loving. Then it dawned on her. _Oh, shit...he's in love, and so is she!_ She was happy for her friend, but she knew that when this was all over, it would cause him tremendous pain when they had to separate. When they got a moment alone, she was going to have a talk with him about all this. It made her wonder about her and Vilkas, realizing the extent of their own relationship, and if it was really such a great idea that they continue as they have been. She had been feeling more towards Vilkas, but the more time she spent with him, she knew, the harder it would be to depart.

"You are quiet," Vilkas announced, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Charlie just shrugged. "Yeah, just thinking about stuff. Nothing important," she added so he would not press what those thoughts might be.

"I think our two friends have fallen for each other," he whispered, noticing what she had.

"You can tell?"

"Aye. I sense emotions, not just see them."

"Yes, I keep forgetting that."

"What do you think about the two feeling so strongly about each other? You seem to be...I do not want to say, bothered by it, but there is a concern."

"Urgh, fucking mind reader you are. Can't keep anything from you, can I?"

He chuckled in her ear. "Yes, there are lots of things you can keep from me. All I know is what I sense and feel. It is not an outright declaration, and some feelings are more clear than others. So, do not worry. You are able to keep some secrets." He was teasing her, but she did not take it as such.

"Well, gee, I feel so much better now that my privacy is intact." Her words came out less with humor and with more sarcasm than she intended.

"You are upset…"

"Just stay out of my head! Stop the horse!"

"What did I say?"

"Nothing. I...I just want to walk for a while. I need some space for a bit."

Vilkas stopped the horse and let Charlie down to walk off whatever frustrations and anger she was feeling, not knowing what set her off. He had learned from before that she likes to be alone periodically, especially moments of stress, so he let her do what she needed to figure things out alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Dragons and the Dragonborn


	32. Doubts and Dragons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie struggles with what she is feeling in regards to Vilkas as they struggle to figure things out. The four are faced with a dragon for the first time and get to meet the Dragonborn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting and kudos! It all means so much to me! <3

_Skyrim - Solitude - Loredas, 4th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Charlie walked nearly two miles and had yet to return to the horse, knowing she was causing a delay in their travels, but she needed to breathe for a bit away from Vilkas. She usually ran to help clear her mind, but that was not an option, especially alone in this unknown land. 

Something got into her when she saw Oz and Illia. It was not just a concern for her friend and their inevitable departure, but of her own as well. She was happy for him, but it didn't make her feel better that Oz found someone he could love. She worried about him, but his closeness to Illia was a reminder that they weren't going to be there forever. Eventually, they were going to have to separate, that she was going to depart from Vilkas as well. So now her thoughts were turning to doubts. Maybe it was a mistake to start anything with him. She knew, at the time, it was a risk, but she did not expect to feel so comfortable around him or enjoy him this much.

Like Oz, she struggled to find a relationship. With their line of work, it was challenging to find the time. It was also her past that made things more difficult. As she got closer to men, if she were lucky enough to find someone who tolerated her line of work, Charlie knew that eventually, she would have to tell them her horrible story. Before she got close to that point, she would end up pushing them away, losing her courage. 

She told Vilkas that day in the hospital, and he not once had judgment in his eyes or cursed her or told her she was a horrible person, but he did not coddle her either, which she also liked. She felt that way enough on her own without having someone else shove it in her face. He not only accepted her entirely as she was, but he had no problems being intimate and getting closer.

 _Crap! I don't know what to do. I feel we have gone too far for me just to say 'no more,' but if we keep going like this, it's going to be too painful. If I were smart, I would just talk to him about this, but I just don't want to deal with it right now either...not that Vilkas will let this slide_.

Once she was done mentally beating herself up, she returned to Vilkas to let him know she was ready to get back on the horse. She couldn't put it off any longer. Expecting him to get off to help her up, he just effortlessly lifted her onto the horse. Once she got settled, she could see Oz looking back at her with concern and that knowing look that he knew something was bothering her.

"Feel better?" Vilkas asked.

"I guess…"

"Still mad at me?"

"I wasn't mad at you...just the…never mind. It doesn't matter."

"You always say that when it does."

"I just don't want to talk right now," he replied intuitively.

Charlie felt a hot breath on the top of her head from him as he breathed out in frustration, but he said nothing else on the matter. She was grateful he let it go, but she knew it was only temporary before he pressed her.

They bypassed the swamp, heading South, then cut back over heading East. After traveling most of the day, they decided to make camp several miles South of Morthal. When tents were up, and the fire started, Illia took Oz to go hunting for their dinner. They had some dry foods, but sometimes fresh meat was better if one could get it. 

Oz was not a fan of killing cute bunnies, but he wanted to be with Illia, leaving Charlie and Vilkas alone. Oz also had a feeling that Charlie and Vilkas needed to be alone to work out whatever was bothering Charlie.

Once Oz and Illia were out of earshot, Vilkas asked once more what was wrong with Charlie while they were warming up by the fire. "You seemed to get frustrated after you saw Oz and Illia. What is going on, Charlie?"

Charlie blew out a loud sigh, not wanting to delve into this, but she knew he would wrangle it out of her anyway. "Look, don't get me wrong. I'm happy for them. Oz needs someone good in his life, but…"

"But it won't be permanent," he finished for her.

"Yeah, they are going to get hurt."

"Maybe they understand that and do not care."

"How can they not?! Love is a big deal. To declare such things to someone you won't ever see again is...also a big deal."

"Of course it is a...big deal, as you put it. But if Oz and Illia love each other, ignoring it does not make it go away. So maybe they just decided to face it despite the consequences. But I get the impression this has less to do with Oz and Illia and more to do with you and me."

Charlie looked at him sheepishly. She didn't want to talk about this. "Yes, it's more than just them. I'm wondering if...if what we are doing is a…"

"Mistake?" he finished for her once again. _Is that what she thinks? That we are a mistake?_

"Do you plan on finishing all my sentences tonight?" she huffed. Usually, she would have been thrilled to find a man who shared the same thoughts as she, that they were close enough to do that. Because she didn't want to deal with these thoughts, it only served to annoy her.

Vilkas gave her a humorless chuckle, though he found he was not in a humorous mood. "Apologies, I just have a feeling I know what you are thinking. I will stop."

Charlie couldn't find her words. She didn't even know what she wanted or was thinking, but it seemed Vilkas knew more about what she was thinking than she did. She was wondering if this was just an excuse for her to push Vilkas away since they were getting closer. _It would be just like me to do that_. 

Usually, she did not want to deal with her past, afraid of what they would think of her, but Vilkas already knew everything. So why was she terrified? All she knew was that it would be hard to get close then never to see him again. _But we are already close._

Since Charlie grew silent, Vilkas decided to speak up and broach a subject he did not want to talk about either, but must. "If you believe we are a mistake, do you...do you wish to stop?" It pained him to say that. It was the last thing he wanted. He was of the mind, like Illia and Oz, to damn the consequences. Clearly, Charlie had different ideas.

She was still quiet, lost in her self-analysis. "Charlie? Can you at least answer my question?" She could hear the tension and dread in his voice. 

"I don't know how to answer your question. I...I'm afraid, Vilkas."

"Afraid of what? Being hurt? Getting too close?"

"All of the above. I have grown to be quite fond of you, and I wonder if it wouldn't be kinder to us to stop what we are doing."

"Kinder to whom? Do you think it would be kinder to us despite how we feel? You think it is all going to disappear magically?"

"No, but I think it could progress further, and then it would hurt even more."

"I see…" Vilkas was already feeling hurt by her words, his beast whimpering in his head. He had grown to adore her. He was not stupid. He knew that they would eventually part and that it would be painful for him. That did not mean he wanted to stop being with her. To him, she was worth that pain.

"So, you don't see what I see?" she asked flatly.

"I see the same as you see. I just do not care. It will hurt, but the time I have with you is worth it to me. You are worth it." He was also a little hurt that she did not feel the same way.

"Oh. I...shit. I didn't think about it that way." She had spent most of her life avoiding the pain, not embracing it, and here Vilkas was willing to embrace the pain for her. "I have to admit I try to avoid emotional pain. I guess you're wondering if I feel you are worth the pain as well. I'm sure I've made you feel pretty shitty after that declaration to me. Yes, you are worth it, but that doesn't stop my fears, and I wonder if we are just making things worse for ourselves."

"Maybe we are. Even though we have not talked about this until now, I have thought a lot about it. I am not ignorant of the potential pain we are going to cause each other. I even had fleeting thoughts about going back with you...I care about you that much. But you should know, when this is all over, I just cannot leave my brother. We came into this world together, and we will leave it together. I just thought you should know what I have been thinking about. So despite that, I have decided to continue as I have with you, damn the pain, knowing you are worth it."

Charlie found herself trying to control the tears that welled up in her eyes. She was still struggling with it all, so afraid, but in the end, she didn't want to stop being with him. She was trying to be rational about it, but if he was willing to suffer it, then why couldn't she? "I'm so sorry, Vilkas. I hope I didn't hurt you. I...I am just afraid. As we grow closer, the very idea of not being with you hurts."

"You did not...well, yes, it hurt a little. But I know you did not do it to be unkind. I understand what you feel is the same as I do. I am just not ready to let go yet." Vilkas inched closer to where she was sitting and pulled her onto his lap as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"You are special to me, Charlie." He delicately touched her face with fingers and pressed his lips to hers as she responded to him, then just held each other. 

"You are special to me too…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The roar was deafening and woke everyone up in the early dawn. Oz and Charlie instinctively armed themselves with their Glocks and burst out of their tents.

"What the fuck was that?" Oz asked quietly to not give away their position to whatever was roaring much too close to them, but he couldn't hide the fear in his voice.

Vilkas also rushed out of the tent, sword drawn. "Dragon…fuck!"

"Are you fucking serious! I'm not sure whether I should be excited or frightened." Charlie said, looking out over the mountains to see if she could catch a glimpse of it, remembering her love of fairytales and dragons as a child.

"No...this is not good, Charlie. They are not only dangerous but intelligent. We can kill them, but since we cannot take their soul, it could return."

"Wait...what?" Oz looked at the man in shock.

"They are immortal," Vilkas explained. "Dragons have been gone for nearly a thousand years and suddenly returned in the recent months. We do not know why. They are being raised once again from their graves. Only a Dragonborn can fully kill them because once a dragon dies at their hand, the Dragonborn absorbs their soul, so they are unable to return. But there has not been a Dragonborn for centuries."

"So what do we do, Vilkas?" Charlie asked.

"We try to kill it and flee. Who knows how long it would take to rise again; days, perhaps weeks, years...I do not know."

"What we do is pack up quietly and try to get out of here, hopefully unnoticed," Illia explained as the dragon roared once more.

They could now see the dragon in the distance. It was gray, covered in spikes and blasting flames at some poor creature they could not see. It appeared far enough away, so they packed their gear and moved out. It did not take long before the dragon finally spotted them as it circled overhead, taunting them, not quite attacking. 

The dragon dove into them, and the four could feel the wind gust from its massive wings. 

Oz and Charlie had their guns ready, not knowing what else to do as fear coursed through them. Charlie could barely hold her arm still as her hands shook almost uncontrollably as Illia and Vilkas were prepared with their weapons as well. The vile dragon was circling like a vulture ready for its carrion.

" _Hi Fen Ag_!" The dragon shouted down to them as fire burst forth from its gaping maw. The explosion that blasted from the dragon created burnt patches in the grass and weeds.

All four scrambled and rolled out of the way to not be singed and killed as Illia started shooting it with her frost spikes to slow it down. "I am unsure we can kill it. If we can damage it enough to slow it down, perhaps we can escape." But she knew the likelihood of escaping alive was minimal.

Oz and Charlie took her cue and started shooting at it with their guns as the dragon hovered over their heads, ready to blast them with fire. Once again, all four rolled out of the way before incineration. 

Vilkas stood by, ready, but unable to do anything while the dragon was flying around. He heard Oz cry out after the dragon fired upon them, knowing he was burned and ran to the man holding a bleeding shoulder. Vilkas rummaged through his pack and withdrew a health potion as Illia was too busy to help Oz. Oz drank the vile liquid down, trying not to gag, but could feel the contents moving through his body, relieving his pain and feeling the tingling as his skin stitched itself back together. It was the strangest feeling, he thought.

"Thank you," he told Vilkas in great appreciation.

"I do not know, Oz. I do not think we can make this one out alive. It is powerful.

The dragon roared in frustration at being shot at, unable to burn the _joore_ to a crisp. Lifting its body higher into the air and circling the _joore_ once more, it felt its body being forced to the ground. Angry, it tried to fly off, roaring, unable to control the pull as it landed hard on the ground.

" _JOOR ZAK FRUL_!" a man shouted with a deep and guttural voice.

The four heard the strange shout coming from behind them while arrows were being flung at the dragon. The dragon landed with such force, the ground shook, causing them to fall to the ground with the monster. "Stay back! We will handle this!" said the unknown warrior hidden behind a helm and armor.

But the four were not about to stay back. Whatever this warrior did, the dragon was furious and on the ground. Oz, feeling better, but still in need of attention to his shoulder, started firing his gun as Charlie was. Illia was using her frost bolts at the beast while Vilkas was finally able to hack at it with his great-sword. A female warrior that accompanied the man was firing arrows at it as well.

The massive warrior leapt onto the bleeding dragon's back as it tried to snap him off, but was unable to reach him and distracted by the others who were repeatedly attacking it. The dragon, bleeding and exhausted, fell to the ground. In a last effort to escape the torment, it conjured more fire, but before it could burst forth its final blast, the warrior shoved his sword in its skull, killing it.

Everyone was panting and exhausted except the warrior who leapt off the dead dragon with ease as they all watched in awe as the dragon's essence swirled around the hero, and when it was done, it left a mass of bones in its wake.

Vilkas walked up to the warrior and clapped him on the back. "Thank you, Dragonborn. I am not sure what we would have done had you not arrived. I did not know the Dragonborn even returned until now."

The unknown warrior removed his helm, and they all saw a massive Orc standing before them. He was even larger than Vilkas. His green skin had gray undertones, and massive chipped tusks protruded from his lower mouth. "Yes, it was fortuitous. I heard about the dragon in the area, and here I am. I am Bogzul." He pointed over to his partner. "This is Lydia. She serves me."

Bogzul eyed the tall Redguard and the small Breton and wondered who they were and why they had such strange attire and weapons. He jutted his chin at them. "Who are you all and why do you two carry such strange weapons?"

Illia approached the Orc when she was done healing Oz. "They are friends from another realm and are here to help me. The man is Oz, and the female is Charlie. My name is Illia, and we are trying to find a necromancer who has intentions of immortality and to do harm to our two worlds." She pointed at Vilkas. "The warrior is Vilkas, who is a Companion."

"Companion? You are great warriors. I was impressed with your ability to use the great-sword," Bogzul said, rarely impressed.

"It is my honor to fight alongside the Dragonborn," Vilkas said with a slight bow to his head.

Bogzul looked at everyone thoughtfully. "Do you need help with this necromancer?"

"We could always use more help, but you have more pressing issues with the rise of the dragons, though I appreciate the offer," Illia said appreciatively.

"Very well. Good luck to you. I must now be off. There is another dragon I must attend to in the East not too far from here."

After Bogzul and Lydia left, they all sat for a moment to calm their hearts and minds while adrenaline still coursed their bodies.

"What was he?" Charlie asked.

"The Dragonborn. They are the only ones able to kill dragons. There must be a reason for his return other than just dragons rising. Something serious is going on in Skyrim," Vilkas responded.

"I figured out that much after what you told us earlier, but _what_ is he? I haven't seen his kind before."

"He is an Orc. They were elves once but cursed to be Orcs. They mainly live in small, secluded tribes. We don't see them very much. It's interesting an Orc is the Dragonborn as well. He is a great warrior, and dragons are going to suffer from his might."

Charlie nodded thoughtfully at what Vilkas was telling her. "I certainly wouldn't want to cross his path, was I a dragon. It was fortunate he came when he did."

Once they felt rested enough, they all gathered their gear and continued on their journey to Winterhold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: A look back at how Salazar came to find the three relics that opened the portal to Earth and how he would do ANYTHING for them...except one.


	33. Pathway to Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Salazar learns the limits of his desire for power. This chapter is all about Salazar and how he came to find the locations of the Eye of Magnus, Staff of Magnus and an Elder Scroll in order to travel across realms. Little did he know the true cost of that power.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Rape/non-con...it's explicit but non-violent.

_Skyrim - Lost Valley Redoubt - Loredas, 8th of Mid Year 4E 199_

Mid Year brought forth warmer temperatures throughout Skyrim, especially in The Reach. The jagged rocks, usually barren of greenery except for juniper, which was green year-round, burst forth with color and wildflowers. The breeze was warm as Salazar walked up the long flight of ancient stone steps, hands raised indicating he came in peace. His old knees ached more the higher he went, breathing more labored as sweat glistened his brow. 

Forsworn usually killed on sight, but he hoped that being a Breton and arms raised in defense would indicate he wished to talk and that he meant them no harm. No gifts could be offered that they would be willing to accept; his only hope was that they were rational enough not to kill him. He was powerful enough to kill them all, but he could not get the information he needed from their matriarch should they perish at his hands.

His detect life spell indicated there were several Forsworn watching from the cliffside, bows drawn should he make one wrong move. Because they had not fired at him, he knew he was allowed to pass, but with extreme caution. As soon as he reached the top of the long stairway, several Forsworn were ready with bows and spells as he approached. He slowed down his pace the closer he reached the armed group, though that was easy since his old and worn knees were protesting from all the exertion. 

A young woman with face paint in intricate designs, half-naked in leather and bone with feathers embellished in her dark braided hair, approached him. “Matriarch has allowed you to come as she has seen you in her visions. That does not mean we trust you, outsider. Why is it you have come?”

Salazar knew that once they chose not to kill him, it would only be a matter of providing limited information to see their matriarch. “I wish no harm to your people. I only seek the help of your matriarch in finding something of great power and value. She is well-known as a seer and has great knowledge of history. I will offer whatever she wants in return for her assistance.”

The woman laughed along with her compatriots as if they had an inside joke they did not wish to share—perhaps they did. 

“You may call me Rufa.” She pointed at two men who may as well have been twins with the same leather and bone armor, muscles indicating hard work and labor. “These two are Gich and Dril, brothers. The woman about to set you on fire is Eila. What shall we call you, outsider?” 

“I am Salazar Hawkwing, a Breton like yourselves.”

“You are nothing like us,” she retorted with disgust. “Come, the matriarch awaits.”

The woman known as Rufa led him through the redoubt with his escorts following close behind him, weapons ready should he try anything. The benefit of being old and a powerful warlock is that many underestimate him, confusing youth with power and strength. 

The road was long with never-ending steps that caused his old legs a great deal of pain and tried not to grimace, but he refused to use his restoration spell on them as it would appear weak in the eyes of the Forsworn who were watching him closely. 

The Forsworn may be tribal with rudimentary weapons, but they were not to be underestimated either. Their matriarch, a hagraven, was powerful in her own right, as they all were, and created Briarhearts. Hagravens would remove their hearts from chosen Forsworn men and replace them with briar hearts, making them virtually undead, yet strong spell casters or warriors.

“Speed it up, old man!” ordered Dril or Gich, who could tell, as one of them pushed him from behind?

Salazar grunted in pain, and almost annihilated all of them in one blow, but he controlled himself. _You do not care about these people. Get what you came for, then you can kill them all._

All of his research for the Eye of Magnus, Staff of Magnus, and Elder Scroll led him to this unlikely little place in The Reach. The Forsworn redoubt nestled between steep mountains and Nordic ruins. The hagraven here was known for her seeing abilities, but it came at a cost. At what cost, he was unsure, but he knew he would find out soon enough and was willing to pay the price.

Past bonfires, traps, tents, the old and crumbling steps gave way to a leveled plateau among waterfalls. He knew he was drawing near to the matriarch as the area was littered with mammoth tusks, taproots, heads of spriggans, and the stench of decay.

They all approached an altar in front of a great and ancient Word Wall written in dragon language he could not read and did not care to read. Two hagravens were cutting into a male Forsworn. A gaping hole where his heart used to be as they worked on inserting the briar heart into his chest, sewing it up just enough so that it did not fall out. 

He wasn’t sure which hagraven was their matriarch, perhaps both, but he knew at least one of them was the seer. He stood there, on guard, waiting for them to finish their task in silence. He wished he could sit down and rest his old legs, but they would never allow that, so he suffered.

The hagraven on the right, when she was done, slowly approached Salazar with a hunched back. Her black feathers protruding grotesquely out of her flesh, her wrinkled skin folding in on itself, and long greasy black hair stuck to her back and shoulders. As she drew near, her odor assaulted his nose; a combination of rotting flesh and body odor with a hint of juniper as if they used it to mask their odor. 

_She must be the matriarch_.

She stood not inches from him, grabbing his face gently with a taloned hand, turning his head to and fro. Her voice was harsh and guttural, almost from a lack of use. “You have come...I have waited. Old...old! Power you seek, yes. I will give. You will try to kill us, I see. Fire and burning.” She cackled at her vision as if she had no concerns about him killing everyone.

“Thank you, matr…”

“No talk! I know! Rufa, prepare him.”

Salazar found himself afraid for the first time since his arrival at the redoubt. He did not know what they intended to do with him or what the old hag meant by ‘prepare’ him. He was willing to do virtually anything to get what he desires most, but how she said it made his blood go cold and his stomach lurch. It was an unfamiliar feeling. A feeling long forgotten since his youth. “Prepare me for what?” he managed to say, hiding the quivering in his voice.

“Silence. Matriarch said no talk,” Rufa ordered as his four guards ushered him to the pool of water underneath a waterfall and removed all his clothes. “Wash!”

He tentatively entered the frigid waters, naked, one toe at a time. He did not have a tolerance for the cold, and though the day was warm, all that washed away as he was shoved into the rushing waters from above, trying not to scream out from its icy tendrils pouring over his body.

He wasn’t sure how long he should bathe, but if it were too much longer, he would start to suffer hypothermia, which would kill him.

“Quickly! Matriarch does not wish you dead!” Rufa demanded as if reading his mind.

When Salazar was done, he quickly got out of the water, shivering uncontrollably, wishing to warm himself with one of his spells, but he knew they would find that a threat.

The other Forsworn female, Eila, he remembered, took a mild flame spell and cast it over his body to dry and warm him. As he dried, the goosebumps soon receded into his flesh. Rufa held on to his clothes as he was forced to walk down to their camp naked. The embarrassment and humiliation angered him, and he wanted to lash out, but he held it all back, reminding himself that it would all be worth it in the end. _I will kill you all when this is over; he_ thought as he seethed internally.

They entered a large tent with a fire in the middle and made him sit in a corner on some pelts. The warmth and ease from the pain on his legs were welcomed. One of the brothers handed him a bowl of some sort of meat and vegetable, which had a tinge of rancidity. “Eat!”

“I’m not hungry, thank you.”

“You must eat. Matriarch demands it,” he said as he pointed a dagger at his chest.

Salazar did as he was told and choked down the old food, trying not to throw it up and wished for something liquid to wash it all down. When he was done, Rufa removed his bowl from his hands and handed him a large cup of something to drink. “Drink!”

He sniffed at it, which had a familiar smell to it, though he didn’t recognize it. “What is this?”

“You will drink, or you can die.”

“If I have to drink it anyway, what does it hurt to tell me?” He knew he was already pushing it as they already told him to be silent, but Salazar wanted to know what he was putting in his body should he need to treat himself later properly.

“Fine. A combination of Sleeping Tree Sap and Nightshade.”

“What! That is a powerful hallucinogen!”

“Indeed. Drink!”

“But…”

Rufa took her dagger and pressed it close to his throat, hard enough to draw blood. “You will drink. Matriarch said you drink, so you drink. She will not help you if you do not. And you will drink every drop!”

Salazar’s hands were shaking; his fear heightened with the anticipation of knowing he was going to soon be out of control. The last thing he wanted was to be out of it around these people and the hagravens, not knowing what they were going to do with him. His only solace was that Rufa told him their matriarch did not want him dead. He told himself he would be willing to do almost anything for the knowledge he needs, but this was pushing those limits. He finally gave in and drank down the entire contents of the vile liquid.

As soon as he drank it down, the two men left the large tent and were replaced by two more females. The four women went to work on him as the hallucinogen quickly took effect. He was pushed onto his back and watched the women remove all their fur and bones. He wasn’t sure if that was what they were doing or if it was the drug, but he did not care. Their hands started to glow and pressed all over his body, spreading a tingly warmth feeling like he was being kissed by starlight. He felt his erection swell as the women touched him, a feeling long forgotten.

The women were all so beautiful as he tried to reach out to them, touch them, caress them. Giggling could be heard in the corners of his mind as if in a dream, echoing off imagined walls—ethereal almost. _Are...are they all really naked?_ He tried to sit up because he wanted to fuck them all suddenly. _So beautiful!_ They pushed him onto his back once more, trying to keep him still as the giggling continued. 

His old and tired bones lessened in pain, and he had a strange sense of strength return to his body. He tried to look, but a naked woman above his head held him down by his face with glowing hands, her breasts dangling in front of his eyes. He reached out once more to touch her large breasts, but his hands were pinned down once more. That didn’t stop him from reaching with his mouth, wanting to suck her supple flesh, but his head was held down as well.

The hardness between his legs became almost unbearable, with a strong desire to release. All his attempts at taking one of the women were in vain as they kept holding him down. _Please, I need you, want you...to fuck you_ , he pleaded unsure if he was actually speaking or if it was in his head. _More ethereal giggling_ …

When the women were done, they gathered their clothes and left Salazar alone in the tent. He tried to get up to go after them. He needed them. But he wobbled on his hands and knees, falling and rolled onto his back. He heard a rustling sound as if someone had entered the tent. He looked back, his head facing the entry, and everything seemed to be upside down. Two of the most beautiful women he had ever seen entered the tent. 

He turned himself upright to look at the lovely creatures, one headed off to his left, the other to his right in slow and fluid movements. Both had gorgeous long raven black hair and eyes. Their black-feathered dresses were slowly peeled off, revealing large breasts, curvy hips, and flat stomachs. The desire to lick their entire bodies was overwhelming as they circled him removing their clothes.

“Hmmm, yes, delicious he is,” said one of the twins in a sultry and deep voice. If he could fuck her voice, he would.

“Yes, chosen well. Not old...old. Handsome!”

A hint of fear crept through his mind, uncertain what it was about the women that bothered him. Something familiar nagged at him, but the drug kept him from grasping the answer. He was quickly distracted by long fingernails dragging across his face and down his bottom lip. He tried to reach his lips to hers, but she pushed him back.

“Not yet, no,” she said, her pouty lips in a crooked smile.

“Please...I...I want you.”

“We know.”

Salazar watched, still not sure if it was a dream or really happening, as the two women kissed each other, tongues caressing, pinching nipples as they watched him barely maintaining control. He mewled at the sight and made another attempt to have them, but he was pushed back once more. One of the women bent down to open the folds of her twin between her legs, running a long tongue and twirling it on her bud. “She is delicious, no?”

“Yes...yes,” he whimpered.

“Taste, yes?”

“Please, yes.”

The woman that was being licked laid down on the pelts and spread her legs invitingly to him, her wetness glistening, taunting, beckoning. As soon as he dove into her wetness, eager to taste her, he was thrown on his back. He did not know how some invisible force kept him from having these two lovelies, and he was getting angry.

“Stop! I must have you! Stop denying me!”

“Have us, you will.”

One of the twin women pushed him onto his back and straddled his face, opening her folds for him as he plunged his tongue into her, almost crying in relief. She tasted like sweet, sweet honey. As he was devouring the woman of all her sweetness, he could feel the warmth between his legs as another mouth devoured his hardness, making him moan out loud. The erotic stimulation was almost too much, and he knew it would not take long for him to explode, and explode he did as she sucked every bit out of him.

“Good, you will now serve us longer. Time, lots of time.”

“Yes...yes, lots of time,” he repeated deliriously in ecstasy.

“Finish with your tongue,” the one on his face demanded.

He reached up and grabbed her breasts tightly, pinching her nipples hard, and was rewarded with her moans as she plunged her wetness deeper into his mouth. Her bud popped out as she exploded on his tongue, and he eagerly cleaned her wetness.

“More…” he cried.

She moved off his face while the other one replaced her for the same treatment as she too exploded on his face.

Face wet; he was dazed in a strange euphoria. The room glowed in swirling colors as he watched the two females play with each other once again. Hands on nipples, fingers inserted in between legs, tongue touching tongue. It was all meant to get him heated and hard once again, which worked perfectly. Little did he know the hallucinogen also had an aphrodisiac in it.

One of them, he could not keep track, inserted him into her warm and wet core. Surprising her, he sat up and threw her onto her back and started thrusting hard and fast into her. Her eyes were in shock for a moment before they rolled into the back of her head in pleasure. Shoving her legs as far back as they would go, he pushed deeper and harder into her, not caring if it hurt her. 

The other one grasped his face with long nails and caressed his lips with hers, seeking out his tongue as he pounded her sister or friend, or... _it does not fucking matter_.

The one underneath cried out in pleasure, her whimpers and desires threading through his mind as he exploded into her, slamming his body into hers, unable to get deep enough before he was magically thrown back.

His heart was beating heavily against his chest, and his cock was already raw, but they were not going to let him rest. He would fuck them all night, and it felt like he would fall apart, but they coaxed and healed him repeatedly back to life until he wept for no more, begged for rest. Yet the desire for them continued to burn.

“Sleep now. Power tomorrow,” one of them said as he found himself drifting to sleep finally and would have cried in relief had he not fallen asleep so quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The taste in his mouth was horrid, and his head felt like his brain was melting. He whimpered in pain as he tried to move, deciding to hold still and run a healing hand on his head. As soon as he moved, he found his arms were pinned down by two people sleeping on either side of him. Vague memories, like the remnants of a dream one, could not quite hold on to. _Honey, raven hair, desire_ were words running through his clouded mind.

He went to move them off of him so he could heal, and when his vision cleared, he could see the horror that surrounded him. The pain quickly forgotten; he shoved them off of him, stood up, and rushed out of the tent. The culmination of drugs wearing off and the horror show caused him to vomit repeatedly.

“He liked last night…”

“Yes, shame.”

“Worth the answers, yes.”

“You sure you don’t want more?”

The two bantered back and forth, and he wanted to throw up again. The whole idea that they drugged him so they could fuck him was one of the worst-case scenarios he could think. Had he known, he would have found another way to obtain his answers, though Salazar knew they would never have allowed him to leave had he not. He was fucking raped by hagravens. The thought renewed his violent vomiting. 

Wiping his mouth with the back of his shaking hand, he weakly stood up, went back to the tent to find his clothes, ignoring the sight of the disgusting naked witches.

“Such a rush to leave. So quick to burn.”

“Yes, maybe he wishes for no answers.”

“Power must not be important then.”

“He said he would do anything.”

“Yes, he did.”

“He was quite good and pleasing.”

“Worth answers, yes.”

Salazar wanted them to shut up. He felt so ill, and his head felt as if it would explode at any moment. “Silence, you foul creatures! You got what you want, and I expect answers! NOW!”

“So sad, no more fun.”

“Indeed, sister. Very well. Your Eye is at the center of the first great city of man. Your Staff is in between two mountains, two dragons, and Mehrunes Dagon. Scroll, lovely scroll is close, close to city first of man, inside great Dwemer city.”

“Now he tries to burn! Lovely fury, so fun!”

Salazar left the Lost Valley Redoubt in ash and cinder, killing everyone in his wake. The fury of which he had never felt, which bubbled over into pure rage as he burned the redoubt to the ground. He got his answers, but the witches and forsworn paid the ultimate price for their treachery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Illia comes face to face with her father once more.
> 
> Good thing I work from home and am a homebody...I'm made for isolation :). I hope everyone is safe and well!


	34. First City of Man

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The four come face to face with Salazar once more, who has been impatiently waiting for Illia. They have to fight through Saarthal to get to him and Illia is forced to make a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and commenting!! It keeps me going and writing! <3
> 
> Stay healthy!!!

_Skyrim - Dawnstar - Sundas, 5th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Despite Illia’s eagerness to get to Winterhold and finally get this whole thing over with, they had to stop back in Dawnstar to rest overnight and restock their food and supplies for the trip. 

Windpeak Inn, fortunately, had washbasins in their cellar. It was especially pleasing to Charlie, who loved to be clean. All their travels and the cold had left them all filthy and achy, still sore from fighting that dragon. The warm waters were a great relief from their long journeys. After baths and dinner, they all went to bed early, exhausted.

Charlie was laughing as she pushed away Vilkas’ advances. “Vil, I adore you and appreciate your...eagerness, but I really need to rest.” 

When he settled down, she curled up in bed, practically using him as a mattress, and quickly fell asleep.

Kissing her head, he held her as she slept. Ever since they had been back in Skyrim, his beast had been howling in his head to have her whenever they had the chance. It was not like him to be so sexually driven. He could resist women easily enough, but with Charlie, it was different. It was not just his beast who wanted her, but him as well. His beast was making it difficult for him to resist her.

Vilkas was relieved that they had their talk, and she did not end up pushing him away permanently. He was worried for a while, even after their discussion that she would change her mind, but she did not. It would have been too painful for him to be around her and not be close to her intimately. She was not wrong that separation was going to be painful. Maybe it was a mistake that they were intimate in the first place, but he had no regrets either. 

Not to diminish her feelings, but with his beast, it would be doubly painful for him with their inevitable separation. Though he believed he was prepared, Vilkas was not naive, knowing it could be worse than he expected. There was no choice in the matter, regardless. Vilkas brushed away her bangs from her face, which were getting long, and finally fell asleep watching her.

Oz and Illia were strangely more at ease than before, after expressing how they felt, and quickly fell into an untroubled sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Dawnstar - Morndas, 6th of Second Seed 4E 200_

“How far do you think it is, Illia?” Oz asked Illia.

“I think we can make it there by late afternoon,” she replied. 

Oz could tell she was stressed and more anxious the closer they got to the ruins. He couldn’t see her face riding behind her on the horse, but he could sense her stiffness and squirming as they rode on. 

“It will be OK, Sweetheart. We will do everything in our power to stop him and keep him from you,” Oz said as a way of reassurance, though with more confidence than he felt. He tried to calm her during their ride through gentle touches; light squeezes as he held on to her, a kiss on her head.

“I know…” Illia knew they would all try their best. She just worried if it would be enough.

It was challenging to navigate through glaciers and mountains to get to the ruins located in a valley near the town of Winterhold. The day was frigid, though it was fortunately bright out so they could see far and wide. By late afternoon, they could see Saarthal in the valley below, surrounded by cliffs of ice and snow.

“There!” Illia yelled out and looked on her map. “That is the place of my vision. It says Saarthal on the map. From what I read of Saarthal, it is the first city of man and created by Ysgramor, as you may remember from what Vilkas told us. This is where Salazar is expecting me, I believe. I wonder why he has chosen these specific ruins so close to the College of Winterhold… It is risky.”

As they drew near to Saarthal, there was scaffolding everywhere as if it was recently under excavation. Most of the ruins were buried in a glacier with the ancient stones barely peeking through the ice and snow.

After they tied their horses, Illia reached out to sense if the ruins were protected with wards. “Yes, this is the right place. Wards are surrounding the ruins, strong ones, but he has made sure they are not so strong I can not break through them.”

The ward took all of her mana and left her weak, but it was finally broken. Before entering, she had to sit down and rest to build her strength back up. She made sure to bring extra mana potions, fearing she would need them for the battle to come.

Oz kneeled in front of her and held her rubbing scarred hands, something she did, especially during times of stress. They were ice cold since she didn’t wear gloves in order to do her spells, so he tried to warm them up with his own hands. She looked like a nervous wreck, the fear evident in her eyes. “Hey, we are going to get through this, OK?” He was trying to be calm and supportive, but his own stomach was turning from the fear of losing her or Salazar convincing her to go with him. She was still susceptible to his manipulations. Her desire to have a family and be loved was strong.

Charlie and Vilkas, too, took time to reassure her that they were there and would all get through this. Their reassurances helped little as the tears started to spill down her face. The memories from the last time she was with him lingered. But just as quickly, she took a deep breath, wiped away the tears, stood, and headed to the great iron doors. “No time to waste.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Saarthal - Tirdas, 6th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Salazar felt his ward breaking surrounding the entrance to Saarthal. _She is here at last!_ He found himself strangely nervous as he paced back and forth, not understanding these feelings coursing through him. He would do what he must, but he was eager for her to accept him, craving for her to be by his side.

There was too much at stake, and he went through too much to let anyone interfere any longer with his plans, and that included Illia, but he preferred she chose to stay with him, willing. If she did not, he had other ways to ensure she stayed with him. 

Saarthal was the perfect place for his new lair and contained many ideal locations for his traps. Draugr were plenty as well, which would slow them down. He did not care if her friends died, he knew Illia could handle whatever he threw at them, but her friends would have to be dealt with regardless.

Saarthal was the location of the Eye of Magnus. The witches, while the vile creatures abused him, raped him, did not lie. The memories still made him want to retch, but he choked it back to keep the focus on his reward. When he first entered Saarthal, before he reached the Eye, the Psijic Order tried to stop him and interfere with his plans. But as powerful as they were, they were useless. _What is the point in having such strong magic and not ever use it?_ They had the power to stop him, yet they refused due to some form of tenet. _What a waste of powerful magic_.

When the Eye of Magnus was safely moved to Sunderstone Gorge, he made his way towards Labyrinthian, where the staff was located. He had to defeat the Dragon Priest, Morokei, who was strangely being held by some ward. It was an easy task to dispatch the creature. After which, it took just a short trip to the Dwemer Ruins of Alftand, where the Elder Scroll was located. For such great artifacts, they should have been protected better. Regardless, he had gone through too much to turn back now, no matter his feelings for his daughter. All his sacrifices, pain, and work would not be in vain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_Skyrim - Saarthal - Tirdas, 6th of Second Seed 4E 200_

It was the smell that hit them first. It wasn’t unlike Meridia’s temple with the rotting corpses and dank wetness. There was scaffolding everywhere as they walked on rickety wooden planks hovering over the crumbling ruins. The whole place looked as if it would come tumbling down on them at any moment.

Before they headed in deeper, Illia gathered everyone to her to discuss their plan. “Vilkas, please make sure you have Dawnbreaker ready. I am going to lead and watch out for traps and runes while you stay close behind me to take out any draugr. Charlie and Oz, please stay behind us and do not use your weapons unless you have no other choice. The noise will wake all the draugr in the entire place and will surround us. We cannot defeat them all at one time.

You have not come across draugr yet. Some are easy to kill, but some are quite powerful and can speak dragon language and cast spells. That may sound strange that a language can hurt, but dragon language can. So we need to take a slow and careful approach.”

They all agreed and followed Illia deeper into the ruins.

Vilkas, while trained in one-handed weapons, were not as versatile in them compared to the two-handed variety. He would have to make sure he compensated for the lightness of the weapon, which would require less force than he was used to.

Scaffolding eventually gave way to ancient and damp stones of the ruins, which led them to an ancient gate that was shut tight with no way through, but they found a caved-in entryway that led them further in. Upon entering a small room with a few coffins, it appeared they were at a dead end.

“Shit, now what?” Charlie complained.

“There must be something…” Illia was interrupted by a draugr coming out of a coffin, wielding a sword. Its bony body had dried skin hanging loosely and covered in ancient leather armor. Its face in a perpetual skeletal grin with the loss of flesh and muscle.

Illia shot at it with fire bolts as Vilkas hacked and slashed at the creature with Dawnbreaker. He was overcompensating, used to the heft of his regular sword, but soon became familiar, using a bit more finesse and delicate strokes. The light and power that burst forth from the sword shocked everyone as it incinerated the walking corpse.

“That is indeed handy. Now I know why this weapon is good for the dead,” Vilkas said, pleased.

“I’m just still getting over the fact we are killing zombies,” Charlie said in a strange sort of shock, as if in some bad made for TV zombie movie. _It’s been like living in a movie the day we met Vilkas and Illia._

“I’m with you on that, partner,” Oz said.

“Look, a way through,” said Illia, pointing at the coffin the draugr came out of, which showed a secret entrance. 

The coffin was a secret passageway, which they all tentatively entered. The passage eventually brought them to a gate with a lever and opened to a large round chamber, and the only way out was through a gate and an iron door. Coffins surrounded the room.

“By the Divines, this can’t be good,” said Illia, hands ready with her fire, which worked best on the dead.

There must have been about six draugr that burst forth from the coffins as soon as they entered, their eternal sleep disturbed by their presence. Guttural laughing from the corpses added a sense of extra creepiness that the four did not need. 

Oz found an old sword on the ground and fought off a draugr as best he could, hacking at it with little grace, without having to turn to his gun, and Charlie kicked one as it crumbled to the ground, though it got up again. “Illia, you sure you don’t need us right about now?!”

“No! They are simple minions. Nothing we cannot handle.”

Tye finally managed to kill off the draugr and got out of the chamber. The rest of the ruins were similar to what they faced previously in the last chamber. The place was full of draugr, some more difficult than others, but Illia and Vilkas made quick work of them. 

As they continued on, Illia had to stop them periodically after noticing fire and lightning runes on the ground. Had anyone stepped on them, they would have been dead. They moved on after she disarmed the runes.

After reaching one room, there was a particular draugr that was hard to defeat. It used dragon language that sent the team flying against crumbling stone walls a couple of times before Vilkas finally killed it with Dawnbreaker.

The ruin proved to be quite exhausting, and Illia realized why Salazar had chosen it for his new lair. Between the runes, puzzles, and being thrown across the room by a draugr, it took forever to maneuver through. After the last draugr, they all had to catch their breath for a bit before proceeding. 

“This place is a fucking nightmare!” Oz finally complained. “Seriously, this is straight-up horror movie shit. I can’t believe you have places like this in your world.”

“Yes, only the stupid explore ruins and loot them for treasure. Most usually end up dead,” Vilkas informed him. “It is why I never explore them, though apparently, one can make quite a bit of coin if one survives.

Charlie shook her head, unable to imagine anyone bold enough to explore these ruins. “I don’t need to be that rich.”

Oz looked over at Illia to check on her. She looked tired, drained, and worried. All her magic use was taking its toll on her, he could see. That on top of her stress as they drew near. “How are you holding up, Sweetheart?”

Illia gave him a slight smile to let him know she was OK, but she knew he was not fooled. She did not want to talk anymore about her worries and fears. They already knew how she was feeling. “I think we need to keep going now.”

Oz grabbed her hand as she stood up. “I think we can wait a few more minutes for you to rest. You looked tired.”

“I am fine. Let us get this over with.”

They saw she was determined, so they followed her through the next iron door, which brought them to more crypts, draugr, rune traps, and door puzzles. 

“Is this ever going to end!” Illia yelled out, which was very much unlike her. “If he wanted me here, why the fucking trouble! Why are you doing this, Salazar! You wanted me here, and I am here!” she yelled out at nothing.

Oz wanted to help Illia, calm her, but he was at a loss. He did not know what to say other than what he had already been telling her.

After the horror that they had witnessed, they finally reached a great chamber below, and in the middle was a crater as if it held something massive at one point. Standing and waiting in the room was Salazar. He was the old Salazar, not the pretended youth she saw from him last time and in her dream. The look on his face was not something Illia would expect from a man like him. It was filled with; she did not want to say ‘love,’ but she had no other words for it.

Salazar clapped once in pleasure and outstretched his arms to beckon her to him. “Illia, my child! You have finally come! I have waited long for you! I knew you could break through all my defenses.”

“Was that some sort of test?! All it did was piss me off!” Illia spat, frustrated, her fear pushed aside for a short moment.

“No, not a test. I still have to protect myself, my dear. Do come down so we can talk.”

“No. I am here to kill you and be done with it.”

Salazar sighed in frustration, hoping it would not come to this. “My dear daughter, before you lash out at me and cause your quick death and that of your friends, I would like you to think first. Please come down to talk to me and leave your friends up there. I would like a word in private.”

“No, you will kill them if I leave.”

“I will kill them if you do not.”

That gave her pause. She knew he did not care if her friends lived or not, but she stupidly did not think he cared about her enough to use them as a tool against her and that he would just kill them all. “We have nothing to talk about.”

“On the contrary, we have a lot to talk about. I am making this offer only once.

“You swear you will not hurt my friends. You have to swear...not that your word counts for much.”

He cocked his head at her with a slight smile. “I never lied to you, Illia. I have no need for lies. Lies are for the fearful and weak.”

She was not to be swayed. “Say it.”

“Very well, I swear I will not kill them while you talk to me. I can promise no more beyond that.”

Illia turned back to her friends. “I have to go talk to him now. Please stay here and do not make him kill you all.”

“Illia, no! Don’t do this. He’s lying. He’s going to take you from us...from me,” Oz pleaded with her.

Her lip quivered as the tears pooled in her eyes, afraid, but having no choice. “I do not think he is giving me much choice, Oz. I am sorry.” 

“Illia, please. Let us fight him together. It is four against one...we have Dawnbreaker,” Vilkas also pleaded.

“No, he can easily defeat us as it stands right now. He has us in a position of weakness. It was no mistake; he chose this place for me to meet him. We are enclosed up here tightly while he has the space to maneuver down below. If we go down to his level, he will pluck us off one by one. We cannot defeat him here. I must talk to him. If I am lucky, he will let me come back to you.” But she knew he would not let her go back to them, if ever.

Oz started pacing, angry. “He’s not going to let you go! You know that!”

“I am running out of patience, my dear. I believe you have kept me waiting long enough. Which is it going to be?”

“I...I am coming.”

She turned and walked away, placing a ward at the entryway to keep her friends from following, to protect them.

Oz watched on in horror as Illia walked away, her tears tearing him apart. He tried to run after her as he was thrown back by an invisible force that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Ignoring the pain, he rushed back to the ward and yelled out for her. “Illia! No!” He didn’t know what to do as he watched her approach, Salazar. Once again, he found himself unable to help her—helpless. “No…Fuck!”

All three watched as Illia slowly approached Salazar. He reached out for her and held her in an embrace while her arms hung limply at her sides, though her head was placed on his shoulder, body shaking as she cried. Even Charlie was trying to hold back the tears, sniffing, feeling useless, and unable to help the woman.

Oz yelled again for Illia, but she was unable to hear him behind the ward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: A new home and fatherly agreements


	35. Impotency

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vilkas changes into a werewolf for the first time in order to find Illia. Illia is at her new home with Salazar, a home he created just for her. Illia is torn with a decision she must have to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and commenting! I love it and I'm grateful! <3
> 
> I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy! I'm going on over two weeks now at home.

_Skyrim - Saarthal - Tirdas, 6th of Second Seed 4E 200_

All three watched in horror as Salazar created a portal and led Illia through it into the unknown. She was gone in an instant, and none of them had any idea where to. None of them could have helped her and felt like they had all failed her, especially Oz. It didn’t escape him that she kept him from reaching her by placing that barrier.

 _I let him take her again! Fuck! I’m fucking useless to her!_ Oz was on his knees, face in hands, not knowing what to do. Fear seeped into the pit of his stomach, feeling like he had failed her again; a cold sweat trickled down his spine. The only thing to console him was the fact he knew her father wouldn’t kill her, at least not until she forced his hand. 

Vilkas knelt and laid a calming hand on the distraught man, understanding how Oz felt. He felt the same when Charlie was shot, and there was nothing he could do about it. It was like trying to control a situation that was entirely out of his power to do anything about it. “Come on; all is not hopeless.”

“How is it not fucking hopeless!” Oz yelled at the man. “We have no idea where Salazar took her! It could be another realm for all we know!”

“It is not another realm. Salazar would need the Eye, staff, and scroll for that. A portal like that can only take him somewhere else in Skyrim to another existing portal of his making.”

“It doesn’t matter! There is no way we can find her! She used her magic to find what we needed, using that...water thing, and your country is large. There must be many places he could take her!” 

Vilkas remained calm, though he too was worried about Illia, but he knew not all was hopeless—he had his ways. “We will find her...I can find her. I know what she smells like. I found her last time, and I will do so again.” 

“Oz, Vilkas is right. We will find her! Salazar will not hurt her now that he has her. Salazar wants her by his side so no harm will come to her, but we must move. The more we stress about this, the farther away they get.” 

“Yes, OK...OK. Let’s go.” Oz stood up, angry at Salazar, and mad at his impotence to help Illia. Fury is what drove him now, though he had no idea where to begin.

As soon as they reached outside Saarthal, Vilkas sniffed the air to catch Illia’s scent. “That way!” he shouted, pointing to the SouthWest. “I cannot tell you how far or how long it will take to get there. I only know what direction she is in.” Charlie and Oz started to move, but Vilkas stopped them. “Before we go, I need to know if you can ride horses. You have both been riding for a while now with Illia and me; surely, you have been paying attention to how it feels. Can you ride and follow me, not at a run, but at least a gallop?”

Oz just nodded, knowing he would do whatever it took to get to Illia. Charlie looked a bit more uncertain but nodded nonetheless.

“I think I can, but I may need a moment to get used to things,” she explained.

“You have a few minutes, but then we need to go,” Vilkas ordered.

Charlie did not understand why she had to ride the horse alone. “Vil, why don’t you ride with me? Surely you can smell her from a horse.”

“Because I am going to do something that will...most likely scare you, but it must be done.”

“You’re going to change, aren’t you?” she asked.

“Aye. My beast has a stronger sense of smell, and I do not want to risk losing it as we travel, especially since snow is coming. Beast is also fast, so I need to make sure you both can keep up.”

“We will do what we need to,” Oz said, determined.

They watched as Vilkas removed his armor and clothes, and tied them to the horse so he could put them back on later. “You can turn away if you like. It is not pretty to watch.” He was nervous about changing in front of Charlie, uncertain how she was going to take it. She knew what he was, but she had yet to see it happen.

Neither Charlie nor Oz looked away as Vilkas changed into his werewolf form. On his hands and knees, his screams gave way to roars as they watched his body quickly change shape. His skin burst forth patches of dark fur, his face became more lupine, hands produced long and sharp claws, and his body quickly grew into a massive wolf-form, bigger than Vilkas himself. 

Charlie’s stomach dropped in fear for a moment as the creature’s golden eyes penetrated hers. It was the stuff out of horror books, and she tried not to be afraid. She knew what he was, but to see it first hand was an entirely different ball game. The man she had come to care for was now gone and replaced with a monster. Books always made it sound romantic, but it wasn’t—it was downright scary. He explained to her once that his beast knew the enemy from friend and trusted him that he wouldn’t hurt her or Oz. 

Suddenly, the beast took off running as Oz and Charlie followed as quickly and well that they could on their horses. When they struggled or lagged, the beast would wait until they caught up. Every once in a while, the creature would stop and sniff the air and slightly change course.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Fort Dunstad - Tirdas, 6th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Salazar and Illia exited the portal into a courtyard in the center of an old fort. It took only moments to get there, and she had no idea where they were or how far they traveled. Illia worried not for herself, but for her friends who were left behind. She felt horrible for trapping them behind the ward, but it was for their own safety. Had they pursued, Salazar would have killed them.

Salazar’s face was beaming with pride. “Here we are, my dear. I cannot tell you how pleased I am you chose to come with me. You made the right decision for yourself and me. I will give you the life your mother never gave you, for that, I promise.”

Tears spilled out of her eyes, and she was not sure if it was due to the loss of her friends or the kind words and promises Salazar gave her. Words she had longed to hear from her own mother—A mother who chose to beat her instead. Illia did not realize how damaged she really was until she came face to face with Salazar, her father. _I must truly be damaged by my mother to have even an inkling of desire to be loved by a parent...this parent._

Salazar pulled her close for an embrace, then gently pushed her back to wipe away her tears with old and boney thumbs. “Now, none of that, dear daughter. You will have a good life.”

She just nodded and gave him a slight smile, only to appease him and keep him happy long enough to figure out a plan of escape. “Yes, father.”

“Good girl. Come, let me show you what I have created for you while I waited for you. You were naughty keeping me waiting so long, but I forgive you, though it also gave me time to give you something special.”

Illia looked around the old and crumbling fort while they walked up the stone steps to the uppermost tower. She could see several necromancers stationed throughout the fort, watching, waiting, and protecting. If she escaped, she would have to deal with them as well. Doubts coursed through her mind wondering if she would ever be able to escape him as powerful as he was and so well-protected.

As they entered through the old wooden door, he held her hand to show her around the tower. He was excited, like a child who received a toy for the first time. Illia looked at him strangely, unable to fathom how a man, so child-like at this moment, could be such a deranged killer. Then thoughts drifted once more, trying to understand how she could be related to two such horrible people, doubting herself to be able to hold onto her humanity.

Salazar led her into a beautiful bedroom, which was full of fragrant flowers in large pots, a gilded looking glass over a beautifully carved wooden dresser. The walls were covered in tapestries with beautiful nordic scenes. The bed was large and filled with down and covered with an intricately embroidered blue quilt with gold thread. In the middle of the bed was a beautiful hand-made doll as if Illia was still a child and not a grown adult.

Illia reached for the doll with shaking hands. It had real hair that was black like hers, the ivory face hand painted with lovely blue eyes as if the doll was made in her likeness. The dress was white with beautiful red flowers all over and trimmed in lace. The toy was something she would have cherished if she had one such as this as a little girl. It was something she never had growing up. There were no toys or dolls—only studies and beatings. Illia cried again, holding the doll tightly, realizing then how much of a childhood she had missed out on. 

Salazar was angry at her constant weeping. This room was a gift and meant to make her happy, yet here she was crying again. _How much does this girl need before I make her damned happy!_

“She is so beautiful. I never had a doll before,” she finally said through her tears. 

He then realized she was weeping from pleasure and missing out on something her mother never gave her. His ire directed at her soon moved away and towards her dead mother. _She should have told me I had a daughter. Had I known she kept such a secret from me and that she beat the girl, I would have killed her myself._

“You like it then?” he asked, surprising himself that he cared so much as to what she thought.

Illia nodded and held the doll closer as if she would never let it go.

“I cannot tell you how much that pleases me!” he cried out and embraced her once more. He pulled her in tighter when he felt a tentative arm about him, making him smile. “Come! I have more to show you!”

She had to admit, Salazar outdid himself in the tower of the fort. There was an extensive library full of books she could spend countless hours reading, servants to fulfill her every whim; walls were filled with art and tapestries and a wonderful bathing area that produced warm waters from a hot spring nearby.

Salazar clapped, and a servant came running to his call, ready to serve. Eyes were downcast in deference to him, _or is it fear?_ “You are to help my daughter bathe and get dressed. She is to be perfect for dinner tonight. Do you understand?”

“Yes, m’lord,” the young woman curtsied. “This way, m’lady.”

Illia was soaking quietly in the washbasin, strangely devoid of thought, while the young girl scrubbed her thoroughly and washed her hair. Once she was clean, the girl dried her and gave her a robe to wear, then led Illia back to her room. Illia sat down in a chair while the servant girl brushed out her long dark locks and weaved in long braids then pulled it all back into a loose bun.

“Master has chosen this dress for you, m’ lady,” the girl informed her as she held up a long, embroidered dark blue dress. It was the sort of dress royalty wore, and it felt strange donning such an intricate garment. Last went on the sapphire necklace and earrings that matched the dress.

“Oh my, m’ lady, you are beautiful! Master will be quite pleased!”

“Thank you…I’m sorry, what is your name?” It was almost as if she saw the girl for the first time, Illia was so lost in thought. Her ash blonde hair falling out of her cap, and she had rich dark brown eyes. She couldn’t have been more than 18 years old.

“Oh, Master does not use names here.”

“Surely, you were given one, yes?”

The girl looked around nervously as if the ‘Master’ would pop out at any moment and kill her for uttering something so simple as a name.

“It is OK. I will not tell him...I promise.”

“It is, Nina, m’lady. I was brought on to take care of you.”

“Very well, Nina. Your secret is safe with me. Thank you for your hard work. You did a wonderful job.”

The girl blushed in her excitement. “Oh! Thank you, m’lady! Come! You must attend dinner right away!”

Illia was escorted to a large dining hall with a roaring fire, candlelight in ornate candle holders and sconces, bowls of fruit on the table with trays of cakes and pastries. When Illia entered, Salazar was already waiting for her sitting at the head of the long table, sipping on some sort of alcohol. 

He saw her enter the dining hall, and she took his breath away. If she was lovely before, she was stunning then. He chose well in her attire, and the servant girl did well with her hair. She was worthy of being his daughter. With her beauty, in combination with her power, when he was done with her, would make her the most formidable woman in Skyrim.

Salazar stood and reached for her hand to guide her where he wanted her to sit. Holding out the chair for her, and she sat down obediently. He poured her some brandy in a goblet and sat back down.

“Well, I must say you looked stunning!”

“Thank you, father,” she responded politely. “The dress and jewels are lovely.”

“You are quite welcome, my dear!”

The servants brought out a lovely pheasant for dinner with roasted vegetables. The bread was soft and warm, not the usual hard and crusty type she usually ate. They quietly ate dinner and sipped on brandy. The food was delicious and dessert even more so. She chose a pastry filled with fruits. Dessert was a rarity for her, and she savored every bite. 

Salazar saw her bliss as she was eating her fruit tart. “This is how you should have grown up. It is how you should have lived. Not to have been hidden away with vile hagravens and beaten.” The thought that she lived with those creatures repulsed him, remember what two did to him before.

Illia’s tears started to well up once again. He was so well-versed in how to manipulate her. He made her feel loved and cared for, made her want him, and it angered her. _Stop Illia! You know he is a monster! You have to stop letting him manipulate you like this._

Salazar was getting tired of her tears, happy or sad ones; he cared not. He wanted to see smiles and pleasure. Frustrated, he slammed his hand loudly on the table to get her to stop. “Enough!”

Illia jumped at his outburst and was quickly reminded that he was not the father she wanted with his manipulations and control. His desire to turn her into him. 

“What do you expect?! What do you want from me?! You wanted me here, so I am here! You would have killed my friends, had I not! You left me no choice! I am not your daughter; I am your prisoner!” She grabbed her goblet and drank down its entire contents, ignoring the burning sliding down her throat and chest.

“How dare you! I have given you all you desire...a home, good food, gifts, love! I am trying to make you happy!”

“You do not know what I desire at all! You are giving me what _you_ desire most with little care as to my wants and needs. And do not pretend for a minute that you love me. Let me ask you something, _father_! If you found out your ‘precious’ daughter was not powerful at all, would I be here now? Or would I be dead with my friends?” She poured herself another glass of brandy without asking and drank that down too. All her fears were washing away with the alcohol, not caring about his reactions to her outburst.

He knew she was not wrong. She would be dead had she not been as powerful as he knew she was. “You would be dead. I do not lie. Yes, it is your power that draws me, but you are also my daughter...my powerful daughter. That you might have been weak is irrelevant since you are not. I love you and want you by my side.”

“Love?! What do you know of love? I am just another obsession to you. That is not love. All you do is take. Tell me, _father_ , why do you insist on more power and immortality? You could have just been happy with me, and I would have been happy to be by your side if you were a kind and giving person, not prone to murder. I would not have to fight you, yell at you. I would easily love you in return. But you chose a path that I refuse to take!”

“I chose it because I can. It is as simple as that. I have always grasped the ungraspable, achieved the unachievable...that is what drives me. And I am capable of love despite what you think. I loved your mother once.”

“So, there is not even a good reason why you are doing what you do? No reason behind all the death other than you ‘can?’ You just take what you want, including me. I think that makes you even worse in my eyes. That there isn’t even a reason for what you are doing. I have a feeling your version of love is entirely different from mine. Good night, Salazar.” She downed one more glass of brandy before she stormed off to her room.

She laid in the soft bed, still in her dress and jewels, under the delicate covers holding her doll. Illia knew she had pushed him at dinner, but she could not contain herself. She did not understand why she bothered as it would not change his mind anyway. He would never change, even for her. Her arguments were in vain, but her outburst was cathartic and reminded her of where her loyalties truly lie. Then her thoughts drifted to Oz. She loved him so much, and she worried he would come for her, that they all would, and they would die.

In the end, if she could not defeat Salazar, she would have to choose to take her own life before he turned her into him. If she had to take lives and soul harvest just to live, she would rather be dead.

Her fears and anger eventually gave way to the inevitable. She was probably going to die regardless, so she would just have to do what she must to stop him. Illia soon found herself falling asleep with thoughts of escape.

Salazar watched his daughter sleep later that night, holding the doll close to her, still in her dress, hair falling out of the bun. She almost looked like the child he missed out on. He wanted to be angry with her, he was, but she was too lovely sleeping. He sat down on the bed next to her and delicately brushed stray hairs out of her face. The slight movements soon woke her up.

“Have you come to kill me now?” she asked.

“If I wanted you dead, I would have already done so. I almost wanted to with your outburst, but as I told you before, you are like me. You say what is on your mind, unafraid to speak and tell the truth.”

“That is where you are wrong. I am quite afraid.”

“And that makes you even stronger that can you can speak out despite your fear.”

She did not know what to say to that. She wanted to retort somehow, but she was at a loss for words.

“I have been through so very much in my life to get to where I am. Some things were quite harrowing, near-death, and humiliating. I will not go into details, but it has been so much that I cannot stop now, not even for you. But I prefer you to be by my side and live. I do love you despite what you think. Yes, it is also your power, but I love you.” He reached out and lightly touched her soft face. “I want you to give us a chance to be a family. I will go so far as to keep you out of my soul harvesting. I would prefer you to be by my side for eternity, but we can worry about that later. For now, we need to stabilize the Eye. Will you agree to that, at least?”

“You...you will not make me kill an innocent?”

“I will not, at least for now, but I will not have you stop me either. Can we agree to that?”

She had to think for a moment. She was not naive enough to believe Salazar loved her, but she realized that he believed it himself, it was just a love of her power only, an obsession, really. If she stayed with him, she could live and keep her friends alive, but it would be at the expense of innocent deaths. She would be virtually in the same position she was with her mother the last time. But what spurred her into action was her personal involvement in the death of an innocent. Could she live with herself knowing what her father was doing? She knew she would be complicit once more, but she could keep her friends safe if she could make him agree to that.

“I will agree to be by your side if you promise never to harm my friends...ever.”

Salazar narrowed his eyes at her and her demands. He already made her a fairly generous offer, but relented since she asked for nothing else. “I promise no harm will come to your friends at my hands. But if they attack me, the deal is off. If they try to reclaim you, I leave it to you to convince them to turn away and never hunt me again, or I will be forced to kill them.”

“I agree to your terms, Salazar.”

“Father,” he corrected.

“Very well, father.”

“Tomorrow, we leave for Sunderstone Gorge to calm the Eye. I have reclaimed the staff and scroll from you. Thank you for ensuring they did not burn.”

He pulled her up into an embrace, and tenderly kissed her forehead. “Good night, dear daughter.”

She tentatively held him back. “Good night...father.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: The truth about werewolves.


	36. The Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three find where Illia was living for a short time with Salazar only find her gone once more. Vilkas shares his feelings with Charlie, who still struggles with that as well as him being a werewolf.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting and kudos! It means so much! <3
> 
> I hope everyone is safe and healthy!! <3

_Skyrim - Fort Dunstad - Tirdas, 7th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Illia's scent gathered strongly at a massive fort South of Dawnstar. It was evening and took too long to get there as the snows picked up, which made tracking and vision difficult. The snow was still coming down, but not as heavily as before. Oz and Charlie wanted to scope out the place and go in carefully, but Vilkas' beast had other ideas as it ran headfirst into the fort. Charlie and Oz cursed under their breath and chased after Vilkas.

Several sentries noticed the big beast come into the fort and quickly started casting fire and ice spells at it, but not much slowed the creature down as it tore into flesh and bone with claws and teeth. It took only moments to kill all the mages on guard as the beast quickly headed up stone steps, his nose leading him to the tower above.

Charlie and Oz entered the fort and looked around at all the carnage, relieved they missed it all. Blood and gore were everywhere, and both realized why werewolves were called monsters and understood why Vilkas fought his beast so much. It took only moments for him to tear into all the enemies.

Charlie stumbled on a bloodied arm missing its owner and almost got sick, placing her forearm against her mouth as if that would hold everything back. She had seen a lot of death, but not this sort of carnage. Looking up, Charlie could see Vilkas, his beast waiting for them, clawed hands and snout covered in blood. She found herself slightly afraid of him, but she pushed that aside as she drew her gun and ran up the steps to meet him with Oz closely behind.

Charlie opened the door since the beast could not, ignoring the scent of blood and wet dog coming off the creature... _Vilkas, I have to remind myself. He's Vilkas_. Once they entered, the werewolf scrambled inside, sniffing the entire tower while Oz and Charlie hung back, weapons ready. 

Charlie looked at Oz and shook her head. If Salazar were there, he would have already attacked them with all the noise they were making. The beast was stumbling from room to room, sniffing everything. The whole top of the tower appeared to be empty of life.

Oz entered one room and found some of Illia's things. The place was beautiful and ornate. Clearly it was created with her in mind. Picking up a doll that looked like her he threw it back on the bed, disgusted. "Well, she was here, but I don't think she is any longer...fuck!"

"Yes, he would have attacked us…" The scream interrupted Charlie as she and Oz ran out of the room to the dining hall to find a young girl cowering in the corner with Vilkas towering over her, sniffing.

Charlie had to do something. She didn't know if Vilkas' beast was going to tear into the young girl or not, despite her gut telling her he wouldn't. She adored Vilkas, but his creature scared the shit out of her. Putting away her gun, she neared the beast slowly, arms raised in the universal sign of 'calm down.' "Hey, uhm beast...Vilkas. It's me, Charlie. That is a young girl, and I'm sure she's innocent or else she would have attacked us. You know that, right?"

She reached a shaking hand towards the beast's arm and gently caressed its bloodied fur. It looked at her, almost in recognition, golden eyes penetrating hers. That was all it took for the beast to start howling in pain as it shrunk in size and became human. Vilkas was curled up on the stone floor for a moment, regaining his senses and pushing back the pain as the young girl ran to Charlie.

"Oh, thank you! You saved me! How...how did you stop that beast from killing me?" the girl asked, holding on tightly to Charlie.

"He wouldn't have hurt you, honey. If he wanted you dead, you would be dead already. I...I think he smelled the woman we are searching for on you. Perhaps you know her. Black hair, bright blue eyes? She's with her...father."

"Oh, yes! Illia! She is so nice to me! I bathe her and do her hair, and the master is quite pleased. But, she is not here. She and her father left earlier today somewhere, but they did not tell me where they were going. Are you her friend? She did not look thrilled to be here."

"Shit! We missed her again!" Oz yelled out despite knowing that already. 

"Yes, we are friends, and we need to find her," Charlie explained.

Vilkas stood up on wobbly legs. He hated changing back and forth with its extreme pain. The body contorted too unnaturally for it to be pain-free. He approached the girl as she cringed away from the naked man into Charlie. "I am not going to hurt you, girl. The woman's smell was just powerful on you. I am sorry if I scared you." He looked at Charlie in sadness. He could tell she had been scared as well. "I am so sorry I scared you too, Charlie."

There was no time for remorse and explanations. "Oz, would you mind grabbing my clothes and armor from the horse?" It was not that Vilkas needed Oz to fetch him anything, but looking at the man's face, he wanted to give him something to do lest the rage and fear get the better of the man.

After Oz returned with Vilkas' clothes and armor, Vilkas got dressed only in his breeches and tunic. Once dressed he approached the young girl who had been eyeing him warily. "Are you feeling better?" he asked delicately.

She nodded quickly, though still holding onto Charlie. "I'm OK."

"Good. What is your name?"

"I'm Nina, but the master does not use names here. He says he does not care. She asked me my name and promised not to tell the master."

"I am Vilkas, and my friend you are holding onto is Charlie. The other brooding man over there is Oz. He and Illia are very close. Illia is a good woman and a friend of ours. See we are looking for her. Her...father has taken her from us. He is not a good man and we are trying to save her. Do you think you can help us with that?"

It was clear the girl was nervous as she eyed the three warily and tried to keep from crying as her lip quivered. "I...I wish I knew, but I do not know anything. The master would never tell the likes of me his plans."

Vilkas chucked at her insightfulness. "Indeed, he would not. But we need a place to rest. Is it safe here to stay the night and have a meal before we head out? Is there anyone else in the house who would cause us harm?"

"I only know of the mages, but they are outside on guard. The rest in the house are just servants. I do not think they would care. I can tell them you are friends of the master, and they will make you dinner."

"Yes, the mages outside are...taken care of. As for dinner, we greatly appreciate any help you can give us to build up our strength and head back out to find our friend."

Nina quickly forgot the handsome man was a beast with his kind words and voice and ran to get the staff to make them all dinner.

Vilkas headed to the privy to get cleaned up and wash the blood off of him when Oz grabbed him by the arm. "We have to leave...now! We cannot wait!"

"I know you are worried about her. I am as well, but we cannot help her if we are weak or dead. We need rest and food. If you want to help her, you have to remain strong. We will find her, I promise."

After dinner, Charlie and Oz washed up, and they all headed to bed to get some early sleep in order to be up before dawn. Oz was in a spare room, the bed small, but surprisingly comfortable, not that sleep would reach him. He spent most of the evening tossing and turning, unable to sleep with worry coursing through him. 

He knew Illia was not dead, but that wasn't the only reason for worry. The manipulative bastard was good at telling her what she wanted to hear and making her doubt herself. Illia was strong, but years of abuse had left her needing the love of family. There was nothing wrong with that, but when that family member was evil in the guise of kindness and love, it would be confusing to her. The worry was the longer Illia was with Salazar, the more he could manipulate her. He just hoped they weren't too late and she decided to stay with her father—wanted to stay with him. 

After tossing and turning for a couple of hours, he finally fell into a restless sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vilkas entered the bedroom he and Charlie were set up in. She was already in bed, curled up on her side. He and Charlie had not really spoken after he changed back from his beast. They talked about him being a werewolf at length a few weeks ago, but he knew talking and seeing were two different things. Vilkas was sure she was more frightened over the slaughter at the fort more than anything. If he were honest with himself, he did not like it either. It was one thing to wield a sword in honor and something entirely different using his beast, which dismembers, eviscerates, and devours the flesh of its enemy.

He and Charlie recently struggled with their inevitable separation; now, they were going to struggle with this. He prayed to Ysmir that this wouldn't finally set Charlie over the edge to end things with him.

Vilkas crawled into bed, rolling onto his side, staring at her back. He reached out for her but withdrew his hand. Any other time, she would have turned over to snuggle into him, but she remained with her back to him. He could tell she was not asleep with her rapid breathing and heartbeat— _probably thinking what to do with me._

After lying next to her for a while, tired of silence, he finally spoke up. Part of him did not want to talk about it at all as if silence would make everything OK, but he knew that was illogical. His mouth suddenly went dry from nerves as his stomach flip-flopped. "Charlie...I...do we need to talk about this?"

She was quiet for so long, he thought she was just going to give him the silent treatment, which was worse, but she finally sat up sitting on the bed cross-legged and faced him. Her eyes were wary and not filled with her usual sweet gaze. It killed him inside to know she was afraid of him.

"I guess we should, though it would probably be more prudent to get some rest, but I doubt if we do not talk about it, we won't sleep anyway. I have to admit, your beast scared the shit out of me, Vilkas."

"I know it did, I could see it in you. But you know what I am. We talked about this at length."

"We did... It's just different seeing your beast out there killing people."

"We all have killed people," he retorted. He was trying to defend what he was and did, simply because Vilkas didn't want to lose her to this, but he understood what she was saying.

"Yes, we have, but not...not like that. It was straight out of a horror movie, Vilkas. The gore…"

"I know…It is in part why I hate being what I am. It makes it even worse seeing how it makes you feel. What is even worse, I have to change back tomorrow to keep finding Illia."

"I understand. It is good you have something to find Illia, but it is fucking scary."

"I wish I could change things, make it all go away, but I am what I am, and I would never hurt you. I would never have hurt that girl either. I do not know what else to say, except I wish you could accept what I have told you and how I am." He rolled over away from her. Her saddened eyes were killing him and the fear that maybe she did not accept him any longer. "I will understand if you wish to not continue with me...that it is too much for you." It felt strange to have tears well up in his eyes. He rarely wept despite him being quite emotional due to his beast.

"Vil...that...that is not what I'm saying…"

Vilkas rolled back over to face her, and she could see tears in his eyes. It broke her heart that she made him feel that way, and it reminded her how human he was. 

"Oh, Vil, I'm so sorry." She reached for his hand and held it.

"You do not need to be sorry for anything. You are scared and I understand why. I...I just do not want to lose you. I love you."

"Don't...please..."

"No, I will not stop. I am sorry, but I love you and I am going to tell you. I am not telling you this as some plea to keep you. I am telling you because it is how I feel, how I have felt for a while now. I do not want to lose you, but if you feel you cannot handle things with me, I will have to understand and suffer it."

"Shit, they glorify this in movies and books. The girl falls in love with the werewolf or vampire and he is in love with her. She's not afraid as they live happily ever after. It's ridiculous."

"It is ridiculous to love me because of what I am? Do I not deserve love like anyone else?" he asked, suddenly feeling defensive.

"Oh, no...that...that is not what I meant. Shit, let me start over. I meant that the girl is never afraid of what he is. She's fascinated, loves him more for it. The truth of the matter is it is downright scary. I don't wish to stop things with you, Vilkas. I just need to adapt to it, I guess. You have not done anything outright evil. You did what you did to those mages because you were trying to do good and find Illia. I see that, but I could not stop my fear." 

"I am happy you want to continue things with me...nothing would please me more. But I...I do not want this...how do I say? I do not want this bridge between us that we cannot eventually cross."

She thought about what he was saying as she played with his large fingers. "I do not think it will, though I can't make any promises. I do care about you very much, Vil." She accepted what he told her how he felt about her, but she couldn't bring herself to declare such feelings to him. She cared deeply, but she wasn't quite sure if it was love or not. All the signs were there, but she had a feeling she was pushing them back as if trying to hold back a crumbling wall despite knowing it would eventually collapse.

Despite agreeing to continue things, that proverbial bridge Vilkas was talking about lingered, but he decided he would be the one to cross it and pulled her into him as she laid on his chest while he played with her hair, looking at her. "I know you may not want to hear it again, but I love you."

Charlie just nodded as tears welled up in her eyes. She didn't know if it was from happiness, fear, acceptance. All she knew was there was confusion about how she felt, and it did spread a strange sort of warmth through her body hearing those words.

Soon the two snuggled in for the night as sleep finally reached them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was still dark outside when Charlie untangled herself from Vilkas, who she thought was out like a light until he pulled her back into bed. "No, don't go yet," he grumbled in a voice thick with sleep.

Charlie gave him a light kiss on the lips. "I need to go wake Oz and have a talk with him. We haven't had much of a chance since all this began. I need to make sure he's OK."

"Fine, but it will be cold without you," he grumped and rolled over to try and sleep for a bit longer.

Charlie got dressed and headed to see if Oz was awake yet. She could see his eyes were open, but he had, however, to get up and get ready. She sat down on the bed next to him and put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "How are you holding up, Oz?"

Oz stressed with worry and anger, and almost lashed out at his partner, but he choked it back. _It isn't her fault_. "Honestly, I don't know. I have so many emotions pounding my brain right now, I can barely think straight."

"I'm so sorry. I know you love Illia, and that makes it even harder. But we will do everything to get her back."

"I know," was all he said, unsure if they would. 

"Charlie? Is it selfish of me to stress about losing that remaining time with her, even if we get her back? We won't be together forever, and I feel like it's a wasted time I could have with her. It is strangely making me angrier at Salazar. I just can't help these feelings. I worry about her safety or whether he will convince her to stay with him as well, but I...I just want to have her while I can."

"It's not selfish. I think that the desire to spend as much time with someone you have come to love is normal. But I know that is not what drives you right now to find her. But what do I know? It's not like I'm an expert on love or anything."

"How are you holding up, by the way. I could see your fear of Vilkas after he killed all those mages. Hell, I was scared too. There is a reason werewolves are called monsters."

"I'm fine. Vilkas and I had a long talk about that last night. I'm still a bit scared, but I knew this about him as we got closer. I think I just have to adapt to it. I don't think 'monster' is the right term. Everything he has done as a beast had been to find and save Illia. But all that gore…"

"Yeah, that was...I almost threw up."

"Me too. Vilkas seems to control it fairly well, though, and I know he wouldn't hurt us." She looked off, eyes unfocused as she thought about their conversation last night. Her stomach fluttered again with his words.

Oz sat up in bed and looked at her curiously. He could see something else besides the beast was on her mind. "Is there something else that happened?"

"Yes, well... it's not horrible. It's just that Vilkas told me he loved me last night."

"How do you feel about that?"

Charlie sighed heavily, feelings so torn as to how she felt. "I'm not sure, to be honest. Part of me is thrilled; the other filled with fear."

"Fear from eventual separation? Fear from loving someone who's a beast? Fear from love itself?" Oz asked, bombarding her with thought-provoking questions.

She barked out a laugh, but there was little humor in it. "All of the above? I don't know, Oz. I adore him, but I'm still wrangling with the thought that it isn't a good idea to have such feelings."

"Well, as Illia told me, feelings just don't go away. We can't push them aside and pretend they don't exist."

"I know. Vilkas said something similar once. I see the logic, but love is rarely logical. Anyway, we better get ready, grab a bite to eat and head on out," she said as a way to end the discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Illia found, but is she saved?


	37. Youthful Salazar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terrible Fanart.
> 
> People have said they couldn't see it from last time, so I'm trying again. Please let me know if you can see it or not. The last time I could see it on my computer and phone and my husband could see it on his phone, so not sure why no one else could. Thanks!! <3


	38. Internal Battles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three finally find Illia back to where it all began. Charlie finds herself too sick to go on while Illia has a decision to make. Vilkas and Oz are forced to face Salazar together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading and commenting! It means so much!! <3
> 
> Stay healthy; stay safe!

_Skyrim - Falkreath - Loredas, 11th of Second Seed 4E 200_

It took an exhaustive four days to reach the cave where Illia's scent ended. The scent trail was so faint; it took all the beast's abilities to find it finally. Vilkas was exhausted from the constant shifting back and forth with his wolf form. They wanted to rest often, but as Illia's scent waned, they pressed forward. It wasn't until the trio reached Falkreath that her scent became stronger once more.

They all recognized the area as soon as they approached it; remembering the cave, they all came out of the day they entered Nirn from Earth. A time that seemed so very long ago, but it was mere weeks.

"I hope Illia is still here because I...I need to rest for a while. My body is in pain, and I need to recover. But her scent is stronger closer to the cave, so I think she is still there." Vilkas weakly put on his clothes, but couldn't put on his armor, and sat down for a while, rubbing his tired face with his hands.

Charlie sat next to him, rubbing his neck. His eyes had dark circles in them from exhaustion and pain. "I hope so too. I'm not sure how long we can keep pushing like this."

"If she's still there, we must press on! We have to get to her before it's too late! It might be too late already! Fuck! Your people need a faster way to travel," Oz complained, pacing back and forth as if he weren't also exhausted.

Charlie understood how Oz was feeling, but he needed to calm down for a bit. He had been tightly wound since Illia was taken. "Oz, I know you're upset, but leave Vilkas alone and let him rest right now. We won't do Illia any good if we don't have the strength to fight Salazar. You know this. I feel for you, but sit the fuck down now and rest."

Oz rubbed his head in frustration and noted the hair growth he hadn't recognized before. His tight curls covered in dirt and bits of leaves from their travels. "OK, you're right," he relented and sat down, but he was stiff and agitated.

Charlie dug in their bags to pull out the remaining food they took from the fort. The bread was hard and stale, the fruit was softening to over-ripeness, and she was sick of dried meats, which made her constipated. Her stomach was in perpetual discomfort and started to feel the need to throw up. She was sure Oz was feeling similarly, which she was sure was fueling his irritability. Their bodies were just not equipped for this type of eating and drinking water from unfamiliar sources and continuously on the go. She hoped it wasn't a parasite she contracted.

After Vilkas rested for a bit, they were far enough away from the cave that he could make a fire so they could all warm up. He wanted to go on to the cave, but Charlie was shivering from the cold, and he could tell she was not feeling well. He looked closely at her and saw she had a sheen of sweat on her face despite the cold. He knew then she was seriously ill.

He reached for her and put a hand inside her jacket and shirt to touch her back.

Charlie smiled at him weakly. "I know you are sexually driven, but this isn't the time," she joked, but there was no humor behind it.

"Always a joke at my expense," he complained, but he gave her a soft smile. "I am touching you to see if you have a fever, which you do. You should let me and Oz handle this. Though I think he is getting sick as well."

Oz stood up angrily. "If you think you are handling this alone, you have another thing coming."

"I would not dream of it, Detective."

"I'm coming too," Charlie insisted. "You're not leaving me behind. I may not be feeling well, but I can still fire a gun. Illia needs all of us."

Vilkas knew there would be no arguing with them. "Fine, but we are sitting and waiting for a while. I know, Oz, this will be hard on you, but we need to rest, and you two are sick. I have a couple of health potions left. I was saving them for the battle ahead, but I think you two should each take one."

Charlie shook her head no, looking green and ran off to throw up. After a few minutes, she returned, and Vilkas handed her the strange bottle of liquid. "No, save it. We may need it for fighting." She didn't look any better after throwing up and curled up by the fire.

"Charlie, you need to get better. You are burning up, and I am afraid you will get sicker before you get better."

"I can do this. I will be fine. It's not unlike food poisoning I have had before, and I got over that."

Vilkas was not so sure. She was already looking paler than before, and he was sure it was going to get worse for her. If Oz was feeling similarly, then he was going to be worse off soon as well.

"OK, let us wait for an hour and see how you all feel. If you two refuse to take the potion, then I will be forced to go in there alone," Vilkas relented.

They warmed up for about an hour when Vilkas went to check on Oz and Charlie, both of whom were asleep by the fire. Slipping a hand once more under her shirt, she was even hotter than before. Feeling Oz's skin, he too was burning with fever, though not as hot as she was. _By Ysmir! I am going to have to force them to drink the potions, but I am afraid it will not be enough._

"Charlie, sit up." He tried to wake her, but she just moaned. "Charlie, you need to wake up so I can give this to you." He shook her once more. "Come on, love, wake up." His fear grew as her situation became dire. He tried not to panic as he struggled to get her up to take her potion.

Oz heard Vilkas trying to wake Charlie, who had passed out, probably from her fever, though Oz wasn't fairing much better. He was angry at another delay in saving Illia, but he was too weak now to do much of anything. "Give me the potion. I will take it. I need to get to her."

Vilkas nodded at the man and handed him the potion. Oz chugged down the vile liquid and got up to check on Charlie. "She's really sick, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is burning with fever, and she will not wake. Do you have the strength to help me?"

Oz weakly got up and lifted Charlie upright against him and leaned her head back. Vilkas uncorked the bottle and slowly poured the contents down her throat, hoping it would be enough to make her well enough to at least wake and lower her fever.

After a long and agonizing moment, Charlie finally opened her eyes, groaning from her stomach pain and head pounding. The potion was enough to wake her and make her feel a bit better, but she was still seriously ill. 

Tears pooled out of her eyes in frustration. "I'm so very sorry. I...I don't think I can fight him at this rate. I can barely move, and when I do, I know I will throw up."

"Shhh, do not worry, love. I think Oz is feeling a bit better. He and I will go after Salazar and get Illia. You stay here by the fire and rest. I think there is enough wood here to keep the fire going to keep you warm and the animals at bay."

"Yes, Partner. You're fine—just rest. We will be back before you know it," Oz said, trying to give her hope, a hope he didn't quite feel.

Vilkas and Oz walked away, leaving Charlie behind. Vilkas looked back at her, worried about leaving her alone in her state. He smiled when he saw her flinging her hands at them to move on and not worry about her.

They were prepared for resistance when they entered the cave, both sword and gun drawn, but there were no mages, draugr, skeletons, or anything that would inhibit their progression.

"There is no need to be stealthy. If we come across anyone who keeps us from reaching Illia, shoot them," Vilkas instructed.

"You can count on it."

"I am concerned about the lack of defenses. Salazar usually has several traps or minions in place, but there is nothing."

"With Salazar, there is always a reason."

Vilkas led the way through the cave, remembering from before with Illia. They came to the main chamber, and Illia and Salazar were talking and eating as if nothing was amiss. As if they were the perfect father and daughter team. 

They both noted the Eye was a lot calmer from before, spinning slower and glowing less fiercely. When they saw it last, it looked unstable from its fast spinning and sending out periodic shocks of electricity. 

_They must have calmed the Eye with the Staff. Salazar must want it stable so he can go back to Earth with Illia,_ Vilkas thought.

Salazar stood up with a smile on his face as if in greeting. "Ah! Here are your friends, my dear Illia. I knew they would find you, did I not say?

"Yes, you did, Father."

"Nothing compares to the nose of a werewolf. I must say, I do have some respect for your breed, wolf. Powerful creatures, indeed. I was especially amazed you lived not only through my power, but that of my daughter's the last time we met."

"Barely," was all Vilkas said.

Oz didn't know what to say. The whole scene was a shock, and Illia was so strangely calm. But he wasted no time in rushing to her. His only thought was holding her and bringing her to safety.

"Illia! Are you OK?!"

But Salazar did not allow Oz to progress further and pushed him back with his telekinesis spell. "No touching, dear Detective. You all will stay back and away from my daughter. I know how you feel about her, but no longer."

Oz flew against the hard stone wall injuring his back and knocking the wind out of him. If he had not been wearing his magic resist amulet, he would have been more injured. He slowly got up, already sick, and now injured. He stood but didn't approach her again, still unable to fathom why she was so calm, why she was not fighting Salazar.

"Illia! What is going on! What is wrong with you? Come on; we can take him together!" Oz demanded, not understanding why she was doing nothing. Then it dawned on him that he was gone too long, and Salazar managed to convince her to stay with him. Either his manipulations were successful, or Salazar was controlling her another way. Oz's ill stomach roiled even more at the thought. He wanted to kill Salazar right then, but held back.

Salazar looked at his daughter with adoration. Standing next to her, he placed a tender arm around her shoulder. "You remember what we talked about, dearest daughter. What do you tell your friends?"

Oz and Vilkas watched Illia as she looked at the two men, waiting to see what she would say. Her face was a complete mask of indifference. It was strange to see Illia composed around Salazar, and Vilkas wondered what Salazar had been feeding her to keep her so calm around him.

"You all must go now. Oz, you are ill, and you need to return to your world immediately and get treatment and bring Charlie with you, wherever she is. Where is she, by the way? I do hope you are not setting up some sort of trap. You will fail." 

"She is very sick," Vilkas informed her.

Illia shrugged. "Oz, you will get Charlie and help her through the portal. You will never return here again, and you will forget about me. When you do return, you will not interfere with my father in any way on Earth.

Vilkas, you need to return to Jorrvaskr and leave us alone to do what we must. I am staying with my father...he needs me and loves me. I say again, do not interfere."

Oz was in shock and angry despite knowing that Salazar had manipulated her. "What the fuck did you do to her, Salazar?! Some fucking spell? Mind control shit?"

"No, I did not use a 'fucking spell' or 'mind control shit,' as you so eloquently put it. Illia has made her own choice. " 

"Mind control, manipulations...they are all the same. You cannot tell me Illia is doing this willingly. She would never do such a thing unless...unless… You threatened her, didn't you? You told her you would kill us if she did not turn us away. Oh, you are one manipulative bastard." Oz was even more furious at Salazar, but realizing she was doing this for her friends helped.

"I did no such thing. My daughter asked me not to harm you ever, and I promised her. Yes, if you force my hand, I will have no choice but to do so, as would anyone in self-defense. She made her own choice on her own terms."

Oz and Vilkas looked at Illia, strangely wondering what Salazar could have said and done so quickly to turn her around to his side.

"Illia, please, please tell me you aren't siding with this monster! You know what he does. You have always been against this sort of death. How can you participate in it?" Oz asked, almost pleadingly. Tears formed in his eyes, feeling the first signs of despair, knowing he was too late to help her.

"She will not participate in it, at least for now. I offered this to her on my own. I am not the monster you believe me to be. I love my daughter."

Oz's tears fell down his face. It was a strange feeling for one who rarely shed a tear. He had always been the strong and stoic one, and now he felt weak, desperate, angry. "Bullshit! Illia can talk for herself, can she not? And you cannot tell me you love her. It's her power you love. You're obsessed with it!

Illia, look at me, please. Tell me you did not willingly agree to this that you _want_ to do this." His eyes begged her to tell him he was right.

"I am sorry. I want to stay with my father, and I want you to go now. I do not have to kill for him. It will be no different than living with my mother. At least my father loves me and does not beat me. I realize now I would have stayed with my mother and would not have killed her had she been as loving as my father. My father is right. I was only doing this in fear and anger of my mother. I lived years doing nothing to help the innocent. I know now I never really cared. It was only for my own survival."

"No! You know that is not true! Why can't you see his manipulations?"

"I do not lie to my daughter, Detective. I have let her make her own choices. Nothing has been forced upon her."

Oz ignored the monster before him. "Please...Illia. I love you, and you love me. Please don't do this."

Then Illia dropped the other proverbial hammer. "I do not love you. I am sorry. I thought I did, but I was only desperate for love. My father gives me the love I have been seeking. A love only a parent can provide. It was never you."

Oz didn't want to believe her words, but her face was a perfect mask, invoking little emotion and a lot of indifference. He slumped to his knees in anger and emotionally broken over her words. _I am too late, and I could not save her once again. I don't deserve her anyway._

"Illia, you cannot mean that. I know you. Oz knows you. There is no way you believe your father is right and not the monster he claims to be. You know he is not a good man, and you know you care about innocents. I have never seen you commit one act of selfishness," Vilkas explained, trying to rationalize with the woman he had grown to like and respect.

"You do not know me, Vilkas. Neither of you do. You have no idea of the things I did at the tower before I killed my mother. You have no idea what I am capable of. You do not get to tell me what is best for me or who I am as a person. I know what my father does, and I do not like it, but at least I do not have to be involved. My father will also help me with my growing powers and to help keep them stable. I will not need to worry about hurting others by accident."

Salazar almost glowed in pleasure at Illia's words to her friends. "As you can see, gentlemen, Illia has chosen her path. She has chosen me of her own accord, and she has chosen wisely. I will train her in her powers, and she will become one of the strongest mages in Nirn history."

Vilkas tried a different tactic. "What of the Eye, Illia? You cannot maintain its power forever. The portal remains open, more portals open, then soon realms intermingle dangerously. The Eye will eventually consume us all. You will tolerate that just to be with a man who claims to love you?"

"We do not wish the Eye to become unstable. It does not benefit us should it destroy our worlds. While Father does what he needs to do, I will be here maintaining the Eye with the Staff. Once he has consumed all his necessary souls, he will return here, and we will close the portal once and for all. Until then, it remains open. And I am going to repeat myself...do NOT interfere in any way, or we will be forced to deal with you."

Oz looked at her skeptically then angrily. He was torn from loving her to almost hating her at that moment. "You would hurt me after everything we have been through? Hurt Vilkas? Charlie? All of us who cared for you and protected you?"

"When did you ever protect me, Detective?"

At that moment, he knew he entirely lost Illia. She was not wrong, either. He tried to protect her but was never able to. The fact that she threw that in his face was too much. Oz stood up finally and brushed off the dirt from his filthy pants. "Fine, go with the bastard. I don't care anymore. You know what, Illia? Fuck you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: It all comes down to this moment.


	39. Culmination

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final battle against Salazar is here!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and commenting! It means so very much!! <3
> 
> I hope everyone is still safe!

_Skyrim - Falkreath - Loredas, 11th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Salazar spent the past several days with his lovely and powerful daughter on their way to Falkreath and spent two more while they controlled The Eye of Magnus. For once, she seemed, not entirely happy, but no longer resistant to him. He was smart enough to know it would take time for her to love him as a father.

He told her long stories, some of which were humorous, and he enjoyed listening to her resonant laughter once in a while at some, especially ridiculous bits of information. It pleased him a great deal that he could get that out of her. He was confident that if he could make her laugh and be by his side by choice, she would eventually come to love him. 

One story, in particular, he would never tell would be the one with the hagravens and their violations to his body. It was one of the more humiliating aspects of his life he had ever suffered in his pursuit of immortality. _Though she is quite empathetic, she may see me as less of a monster_ , but he brushed it aside. It was too horrific for him. No amount of love for his daughter would bring forth that truth.

There were talks about her growing strength, and he worked a few complicated spells with her to harness that great power of hers. With encouragement, she was quite successful in a few spells she was not able to master before. Her mother thought harshness and brutality was the way to teach children. While he was cruel with his victims, it served only one purpose; to achieve that particular aura for soul trapping. There was no other way to obtain that aura, not that he had a care for his victims. But if he had any other choice to achieve immortality, he would have chosen it. He explained this to Illia so she would not see him as something evil. _She is not entirely convinced, but her eyes flashed a want for it to be true._

Salazar knew her friends would eventually arrive after tracking her down. He knew they would do anything to find her. There would not be much that could prevent the werewolf from doing just that. He was prepared for it and worked hard on his relationship with his daughter in the short amount of time given. The only way to convince them not to interfere would be if she convinced them as much. They would listen to her, and the only way Illia could accomplish that is if she meant what she was saying.

All her glorious words about staying by her father's side, finally realizing that if her mother loved her, she would not have killed the entire coven and her mother. That she wanted and needed her father's love. She told her friends that she was satisfied that she would not have to be involved in the soul trapping. His pursuit would not stop her from trying to love him in return.

His heart swelled at her words. Perhaps it was not his heart nor his love, but certainly his ego. He knew he did not have much in the way of tenderness, kindness, or love. He loved his daughter in the only way he knew how. If it were possible to love anything, it would be her. Illia contained the very essence of his being. Once she achieved complete control of her great power, she would be pure perfection.

He particularly drooled when his daughter told Oz she did not love him, realizing she was just seeking love from a parent she desperately wanted. _Oh, the look on the man's face is priceless!_ He was not ignorant of the fact she could betray him. He was not so blinded by her sudden support, but her face conveyed nothing. There was no emotion when she told her lover she did not love him and that he never protected her. He adored her even more at that moment. _No one can lie that eloquently. She has chosen to be with me over her friends and lover._ He knew right then he would strive to make her the happiest daughter in the world, to give her her heart's desire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At first, when Illia spoke to them about leaving and not interfering, Vilkas' first reaction was that she was saying such words to protect them from Salazar. _She must feel that we cannot defeat him, and she has no other choice._ But the more Illia spoke, the crueler her words, which were mainly directed at Oz. 

Vilkas could see how her words were affecting the man and how much it crushed him. He could not even imagine if Charlie had spoken to him as such. He watched Oz crumble to his knees, weeping. He could feel the man's pain. Instead of making him feel sorrow for Oz, he found himself getting angry at Illia. _How can she be so cold?_

Again he tried to give Illia the benefit of the doubt. He had come a long way with her, and she taught him to trust mages again. He learned to care for her and respect her after everything they had been through. While doubts coursed through his mind, her face said it all. She knew what her father was doing was wrong, but she made her choice as long as she did not have to be directly involved. There was little emotion evoked, a coldness he did not see before. _Had she always been this way, and I did not recognize it?_ Reaching out with his wolf senses to see if maybe, just maybe she was lying, but her heartbeat remained steady.

It was at that point he felt betrayed and angry at himself for not recognizing what she really was before. _Did I just see what I wanted to see?_ Everything they had been through had been for naught. Apparently, saving her from Salazar the first time was not enough for her. She still chose him after all that. Vilkas understood that Salazar was her father, and she would wish for his love, but he has proven over and over he was a manipulator and a killer.

"I thought I could trust you, Illia. You know what me and my brother went through with the necromancers as a child. I do not know what your father could have possibly offered for you to betray us like this. But clearly, it did not take much."

If Illia could tell Oz that she did not love him and that it was a mistake, then he knew it was over for her. There would be no turning back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Charlie struggled to get up, not wanting to leave the warm fire. She felt horrible, but she just couldn't bring herself to lie about while Vilkas and Oz dealt with Salazar. The stabbing pain in her stomach worsened as she stood up. She was weak, but she could still fire her gun, and that was good enough. Throwing up once more, she stood on wobbly legs and headed into the cave, gun drawn. 

_You're going to have to suck it up, Detective_. 

Fortunately, Vilkas gave her a health potion, which helped a great deal, but not quite enough to make her whole again. She just hoped they wouldn't need the health potions down the road while fighting Salazar. Illia could heal, but a battle like that could leave the woman completely drained, as Charlie has witnessed before.

The smell of rot and corpses didn't help with her reeling stomach as she threw up again. _Shit, I can't remember when I felt this terrible_. Even getting shot wasn't as bad as the feverish vomiting and extreme pain in her stomach. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she pressed on, not knowing where she was going, but fortunately, there seemed to be only one way.

Using the wet and moldy walls to help hold her up, she slid along the walls, gun ready for anything, and moved deeper into the cave that soon gave way to ruins. She kept an eye out for Vilkas and Oz, hoping they didn't get stopped by some unknown whatever grotesque thing out there— _Spiders. There better not be any fucking giant spiders._

Charlie threw up a few more times, wondering what the hell she was throwing up as she had nothing left in her stomach. Just bile and even that was wearing thin. Sweat poured down her face, back, and armpits from her fever, though the ruins were chilly. _Just kill me now,_ she complained in her head, but she didn't mean it. She just felt as if death warmed over.

As she got closer to the large chamber, she could hear people talking and arguing as it echoed off the old stone.

_"You would hurt me after everything we have been through? Hurt Vilkas? Charlie? All of us who cared for you and protected you?"_

_"When did you ever protect me, Detective?"_

_"Fine, go with the bastard. I don't care anymore. You know what, Illia? Fuck you."_

She overheard the last part of the conversation between Oz and Illia while hiding behind a pillar. _Oh no. Poor Oz. That has got to hurt. But he is stupid for believing anything that is coming out of Illia's mouth_. He would know better if he weren't so blinded by her sometimes. While Vilkas wasn't in love with her, they had become close and started this whole affair together and fought to trust her only for her to turn around on him as if backstabbed. He, too, would feel betrayed. 

But Charlie, while she liked Illia a lot, had no such attachments. She could hear the pain in the woman's voice as she told them hateful things to push them away. It was a subtle tightness and constricting of the throat that some women frequently did when they were upset and tried not to cry. _I wonder what deal she made with Salazar to keep her friends alive and safe._ Illia was willing to do anything, even suffer her father's soul trapping obsession to do just that. Charlie had a renewed respect for the woman who could fool all three men and maintain her calmness.

Charlie could then hear the pain in Vilkas' voice, knowing he felt betrayed. "I thought I could trust you, Illia. You know what I went through with the necromancers as a child. I don't know what your father could have possibly offered for you to betray us like this, but clearly, it didn't take much."

_Don't believe her, Vil_. Charlie maneuvered herself against the pillar, not just to keep her hidden, but to hold her up as she aimed with her gun at Salazar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illia was stuck with her father for days and days traveling to Sunderstone Gorge on their way to control the Eye of Magnus. The Staff was powerful, and after using it on the Eye for an hour, it began to stabilize, much to her relief. When they first got to the ruins, the Eye was spinning so fast and bursting forth so much energy; it looked as if it was ready to explode. She did not know what would happen exactly with the Eye if it were not calmed, but she knew it would be bad enough to consume realms.

Once the Eye was controlled, Illia realized there were supposed to be a couple of young Companions watching over the portal. None could be found, much to her relief. She knew Salazar would have killed them all. _They must have been scared and ran off from the unstable Eye_.

The next two days they spent getting to know each other even more. At least that was what Salazar called it. He told her stories of his adventures in finding new sources of power when he came across journals, scrolls, and books regarding the Eye of Magnus, Staff of Mangus, and Elder Scrolls. He became fascinated and then obsessed with the idea to harness and control such immense power. Salazar easily obsessed over things of great power, including her.

Illia knew her friends would finally find her. Vilkas would know what she smelled like and follow her scent, so she had to make sure she stopped them from doing anything rash to keep Salazar from killing them. When she had quiet time away from Salazar's incessant bloated ego, she thought about how she would handle them once they arrived. Words had to be chosen carefully and cruelly. The only way to make Oz leave her and go back to his realm was to make him hate her. She also had to be believable. They would never believe she suddenly turned evil. She not only had to fool her friends, but she had to fool Salazar into thinking she was choosing to be with him rather than being forced.

_It will take everything I have to convince him without shedding a tear or any signs of remorse_. Illia had a lot of practice wearing multiple masks while growing up in the coven with her mother. She had to fool not only her mother but the hags and other witches as well. She just hoped she could pull it off. 

When they finally showed up two days after she did— _too close behind_ —she had to be ready. Charlie was strangely missing, and Illia hoped she was not setting up some sort of trap. Salazar would be prepared for it. She was saddened to hear Charlie was sick but relieved she would not interfere. 

"I do not love you…" came out of her mouth with more pain than she thought possible. It took everything she could to keep from crying out and running to him. Breathing and calming her heart helped a bit. She thought of the cruelest things she could think of and hit potential triggers for him to give up his pursuit of her finally. "When did you ever protect me…" She knew that would be a particularly hard blow since he was sensitive to it after everything they had been through when Salazar took her the first time. 

Her insides were screaming at her to stop tormenting the man she loved. _It is the only way to keep him alive. There is no way we can defeat Salazar._ The reasoning behind her cruelty helped to calm her.

' _Fuck you,'_ she heard him say. She wanted to fall to the ground and curl up fetally when he spoke those words to her. She wanted to weep to the gods for their cruelty that forced them to talk to each other like this. She deserved those two words after everything she just told him. _At least it worked, and now my friends can be safe from Salazar._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of gunfire was deafening in the chamber as it bounced off the ancient walls. No one could tell what direction the gunfire came from or who fired it. Soon after the shot fired, there was a loud, yelping sound that came out of Salazar, who dropped to a knee, holding his left arm. Blood was pooling out between fingers; his face was a mask of rage and pain.

"You dare! How dare you shoot me after Illia giving you the chance to live long and happy lives! You just threw away the wonderful gift she gave you!" he yelled out at Illia's friends while his hand glowed, healing his wound. 

The sound of gunfire exploded once more as Salazar was shot in his stomach, flinging him onto his back from the force. Lying on the ground, his hands glowed once more healing his stomach.

Everyone watched in shock as Salazar was shot, not knowing what to do at that moment, like they were suddenly frozen in time and unable to move until time restarted. They could not fathom how or who could have shot him. Once they got past their initial shock, Oz quickly pulled his gun from his holster, Vilkas unsheathed his sword, and Illia readied her magic.

Oz quickly looked around to where the shot came from and was relieved to see Charlie there, though looking quite ill, but she managed to shoot Salazar twice. Oz didn't hesitate any longer to fire his weapon at the man healing himself, not giving him a chance to get the upper hand against them, several rounds penetrating the man's legs.

But Salazar was powerful as he cast his most potent healing spells in both hands, any bullets in his flesh popped out with a slight tinkling sound as they hit the floor. 

Vilkas ran towards Salazar, ready to lob his head off and finally end the whole affair quickly, but he was thrown back by a powerful force and landed hard on his back, knocking the wind out of him. 

"You think your bullets and swords can stop me?! You are weak, even with the three of you combining your efforts! Illia, I told you they would attack me. I told you I would act in self-defense. You must now fight by my side and protect your father. I love you; they do not! Your own lover told you as much!" 

He yelled out to her as he cast a chain lightning spell on all three of her friends, levitating them off the stone floors as electricity painfully coursed through their bodies. His face was a mask of rage and pain. If it were not for their amulets, they would have been dead already. That did not lessen the pain as they all screamed as waves of electricity flowed in and out of their bodies.

"Join me and kill them now, my daughter! Do it! End this now, and we can be together forever!" Salazar demanded.

Illia did not have to choose or decide anything. She already knew what she would do if the tables turned on her father, or he started to kill her friends. With both hands, she fired her most potent telekinesis spell and slammed him against the stone wall. It was the fastest way to get his hold on her friends loose. As he fell to the ground painfully, he let her friends go as they too crumbled to the ground. 

Oz, Charlie, and Vilkas wreathed on the ground in pain, residual sparks of electricity still popping off of their bodies. Their loud moaning was echoing off the ancient walls. Charlie could be heard retching from the pain and her current illness.

"You dare! My daughter dares to attack her father! Have I not been loving enough?! Have I not offered your heart's desire?! Have I not been kind and doting on you?! You spoiled child. No wonder your mother beat you!" Salazar screamed. "You will pay for this treachery as will your friends. You can all die now!

As Salazar stood, his body glowed, trying to heal himself.

_There is no way we can defeat him if he keeps healing his body. We are going to have to find a way to wear him down enough so he can no longer heal_ , Vilkas thought.

Casting his strongest ward, Salazar slowly and methodically approached his daughter, anger etched in his weathered face. Only her death would satisfy him from her betrayal. _I was a fool to believe she could ever love me and be by my side! Never again!_

Illia instinctively backed away from him as fear almost shook her to the ground. The look of her betrayal was visible in his hateful eyes sending shivers of anxiety throughout her body. All the emotions from her offensive speech to her friends poured out of her as tears spilled down her face. Once Salazar was shot, there was no way she would turn on her friends. The tables turned, the doors shut, the die has cast. There was no turning back now.

Salazar watched Illia cast her own ward as he cast a wall of fire to prevent her friends from reaching her. He would deal with his daughter first and take her out of the picture as she was the strongest of the four. Two hands focused on her as his chain lightning spell sent electric waves of pain throughout her body.

She could feel the burn as it penetrated through every nerve in her body. The pain was so much she could not even smell her scorched skin and hair, and her dress quickly burned away. She couldn't hear her own screams; the pain was so unbearable.

"You will die, dear daughter. Your betrayal will be felt throughout your entire being before the end!" he growled at her.

Illia suddenly found herself on the ground, body smoking, clothes burned off her body, and skin scorched as she tried to stop the pain. She ran a shaking, glowing hand on her body to heal herself, but she could only do so much as Salazar drained much of her strength.

Looking up, she could see Salazar on the ground again from being shot, screaming in anger rather than pain. The noise in the ruins was almost unbearable, hearing gunshot after gunshot.

There was a roar the likes she had never heard before. It was a monstrous sound of pain, anger, and grief. Looking to where the sound came from, Vilkas changed to his beast and lunged at the weakened Salazar, tearing the man to shreds with sharp claws. But Salazar had strength yet and flung the creature off of him.

Glowing once more in healing energies, Salazar regained his strength, stood up, and rained down a lightning storm spell on her friends, Illia quickly forgotten. 

Her friends wreathed on the ground once more, bodies smoking and scorched as she was just a moment ago. They should have been dead, but their amulets kept them whole. Their screams were unbearable as Illia covered her ears with her hands. She was not just sobbing from the pain, but from all the emotions coursing through her watching her friends die. The look of rage on Salazar's face no longer sent her waves of fear but those of anger. 

_I am so tired of it all! I am so tired of him! I need to be free! I will be free one way or another!_

She weakly stood up, sobbing. Illia summoned all her power, rage, love, fears, and hope into a cumulation of powerful magic. Her body levitated in the air and arms out as sparks of electricity, flames, and ice danced around her body, glowing.

Her scream was almost ethereal as it echoed through the chamber. Her body sent storms of ice, fire, and lightning, all directed at Salazar. With precise control, she focused solely on him with one goal in mind—his death. 

Salazar wreathed in pain on the ground as his robes were burned off his body, the flames reaching withered flesh, lightening burning his insides as the blizzard drained him of power. He screamed and screamed, unable to do anything until he could scream no more.

A painful moaning could be heard echoing from everyone except Salazar, who laid face down, naked on the cold stone floor, still as if dead. Illia returned to the ground, spells controlled, and slowly approached the man who was her father. 

Kneeling in front of him with a look of indifference on her face, she checked for a pulse. He was still alive and rolled him over onto his back and pulled out her dagger, still strapped to her leg from its sheath to slit his throat once and for all.

"It is time for you to die, father. I will not weep for you. No one will weep for you."

"Illia...my…my…powerful…daughter. I...I knew...you could...do...it. Worth it...to...see...you," he managed to say, his voice in awe. Even dying and hating her for her betrayal, her power still drew him in.

"Fuck you," she said calmly, repeating Oz's words to her, as she raised her dagger. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Immortality achieved
> 
> I do hope you stop by to read my latest story with Farkas :).
> 
> [Wolf and Whelp](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23456485)


	40. Purity in Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meridia butts her nose in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, commenting and kudos! It means so very much to me!! <3

_Skyrim - Falkreath - Loredas, 11th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Raising her dagger to slit his throat, she saw Salazar suddenly levitated into the air, away from her grasp as if his body willed not to be slit open like a ripe fruit. His naked form was prone and limp as his body started to glow before her.

"NO! No! How can this be?! How can you heal?! You must die!" she yelled out, believing the glow was his healing spell. Standing up, she reached for the man to pull him down to kill him, but he was raised out of her reach. "NO!!!"

 _"Salazar! You are a vile necromancer and your disgusting ways to achieve immortality! You dare to try and kill my Champions who fight in my name willingly! You want immortality? I will give you immortality. Consider yourself part of my Purified army and you will fight in my name for all of eternity. You will have thought, but you will no longer have any will do anything other than what I command of you."_

"Meridia! NO! He is mine! Please, please do not take him from me! I have to kill him! He does not deserve immortality after everything he has done!" Illia begged the Daedric Prince.

_"Do not dare to defy me, girl. You sought my help and I am helping. He will never harm another again nor raise the dead. He will not be able to do anything other than what I command. It is a proper punishment for the likes of him."_

"Daughter…please," Salazar whispered weakly, almost in a plea for her help, reaching out to her with a shaking hand.

Illia did not reach for him and watched in horror as Salazar's body glowed and glowed until he was fully healed. Meridia returned him to the ground while Salazar continued to shine as if Mundus burned through his flesh. Upright and still, his face utterly blank of all emotions, eyes staring at nothing.

_"It is done. Salazar will fight in my name with no will other than my own. In time he will lose his mind, but it will not matter as only I have the power to give him purpose. His mind does not matter to me. He is a prisoner in his own body for all of eternity."_

Illia sobbed at being robbed of her justice from Meridia, regretful that she sought the help of the Daedric Prince. But she should have known Daedric Princes could not be trusted. They manipulate mortals for their own personal whims. Part of her felt almost sorry for Salazar, but it was fleeting. Death certainly would have been kinder to him. Despite that, after everything she went through with Salazar, her father, she should have been the one to end his life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Salazar lay there on the cold stones, groaning and writhing from the pain his daughter inflicted upon him. The burning coursed through his body. A strange and painful feeling to be burning inside and out. With Illia’s combination of elements, it was a wonder he was even still alive.

His narcissism refused to recognize failure on his part to not recognize that she would have always sided with her friends. _If I had more time with her, I could have eventually changed her mind. I did not have her long enough._ He also ignored the irony that his teachings, encouragement of her power would be his downfall.

Part of him wanted to be proud of her that she enabled her full power with such force he could only dream, but he was angry at her and her friends managed his defeat. He was out of strength for any more healing; Illia made sure of that. _All that work over the years for nothing. To be defeated by those weaker than him._

Despite his anger and feelings of betrayal, he was proud of her and told her so much, though weakly. When the only words he heard from her was ‘fuck you’ he knew she was going to kill him in that moment as he watched her raise her dagger. He closed his eyes for he could do nothing else, waiting for death to take him, knowing, despite all his efforts, he would never have a chance to be immortal.

But he did not feel the blade against his throat. He felt a wonderful healing throughout his body and a surge of hope. _Did she change her mind? Is she healing me?_ His hopes were soon crushed as he lost any ability to control his body as he stood there stiffly, not realizing this was exactly how his victims felt before he started torturing them. Then he heard the ethereal, yet harsh voice. _Meridia—she is claiming me! No!! I cannot be immortal like this...not like this!_

Salazar tried to scream, but no sound escaped his lips. He could hear Illia screaming about her justice. It was at that moment he would have preferred death rather than being a tool of Meridia for eternity being trapped with only his thoughts. Before he could panic, the world vanished before him as Meridia took him away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Illia wept in her hands as Meridia took Salazar away into the unknown, leaving her in her pain and with her tortured friends. Her sobbing suddenly turned to silent tears when she felt someone place a blanket or robes around her and sat next to her. Tender arms surrounded her covered shoulders in an embrace. She looked up, expecting Oz, but instead, she saw Vilkas. 

"Just so you know, I only doubted you for a short time. I knew deep down you did not side with that monster. But in that short period of time, I am truly sorry I doubted you at all. You did not deserve that," Vilkas explained to her, holding her tightly and kissing her head. "You are a good person, Illia. Never forget that."

She leaned her head into his bare chest and wept what felt like an eternity. His words and his embrace made everything she went through worth it. Illia knew she needed to face Oz, but she was not ready to face his pain and disappointment. If he was not upset with her, it would be him holding her instead of Vilkas. She hoped he would understand why she said what she did, but there would be a lingering pain in him.

Vilkas had to leave Illia to check on Charlie. She was still very ill, and after the battle with Salazar and no health potions, she was probably not doing so well. As expected, she was lying there curled up fetally, clothes burnt in patches, skin scorched, and she moaned in pain. _At least she's alive,_ he thought. He tried to lift her and hold her, but she screamed out in pain.

"Don't touch me...please," she said weakly. "Hurts too much."

"I am so sorry, but I am glad you are alive, Charlie. I will be right back." Vilkas stood up and gathered his clothes and armor he shed before changing to his beast and got dressed while looking over at Oz. The man just sat there cross-legged, hunched over in pain. Part of him knew Oz was still angry with Illia—hurt by her cruel words. Defeating Salazar was not a joyous and momentous occasion. It took its toll on the four of them painfully and emotionally. 

Illia looked over at her friends and saw all their pain. Vilkas was doing relatively well, despite everything. He was strong, and his werewolf healed him quickly. But Charlie and Oz were burned, clothes ruined, and in pain. She could hear Charlie's moans echoing throughout the chamber.

Illia was not too weak from the battle. Her father at least gave her one thing; control over her growing powers. She was able to manipulate the Magicka in a new and profound way that enabled her to maintain more mana. Wrapping the blanket Vilkas gave her tightly around her body, she first went to Charlie and sat next to her. Her hand glowed as it touched Charlie's burned flesh healing the prone woman inside and out. Soon Charlie's moans turned to sobs of relief as her illness disappeared and burned tissue healed. "Thank you, Illia...just so you know, I never doubted you. I could hear your pain."

"Thank you for that, Charlie. I am in part relieved you saw through me, the other part saddened as it could have resulted in your death from Salazar. I am not sure Oz sees the same as you. He appears quite despondent, though I cannot really blame him."

"Talk to him. He will come around. I am sure he was just in shock by your words," Charlie reassured.

Vilkas returned dressed, but left his armor off and pulled Charlie into an embrace on his lap. His lips sought hers, kissing her deeply. He pulled away and placed his forehead against hers. "I am so happy we lived through this...that you lived. I love you."

Charlie could still not bring herself to say the words, the inevitable in the back of her mind as she looked past the Eye to the portal before them, a reminder of home.

Illia left to give Charlie and Vilkas some privacy as she went to attend to Oz's injuries. She sat down next to him, his eyes refusing to meet hers. Reaching out to touch him for healing, he flinched away, not from pain but anger or disappointment, or both. She ignored him and touched him again. When he tried to move out of her reach, she held onto him as her hand glowed, healing him as she healed Charlie. The ease from pain did nothing to curb his mood.

Removing her hand, she lowered her head, feeling the dread in the pit of her stomach and wept, knowing how much she hurt Oz, the man she loved. It was painful to do and even more painful to watch his reaction, her body aching in ways she did not think possible. She truly believed she had no choice at the time, that Salazar would kill them all. "I am so very sorry, Oz, for my hurtful words. It pained me as much to utter them to you and see your pain. It was to protect you. Please tell me you understand."

He was quiet and for a long while, brows still furrowed, but no longer with anger etched in his face. The desire to hold Illia almost pushed that anger away, but the hurtful words she uttered, kept him from reaching out. The betrayal made him almost feel sick to his stomach. But Oz watched her fight her father without hesitation, knowing she was not on her father's side. It was the words she chose to push him away. 

For what seemed like an eternity to Illia, he spoke up. "Are you saying you didn't mean those words that you told me?"

"That is what I'm saying, yes."

He looked at her right in the eyes, angry once more, his voice was calm, but it carried a hint of anger. "Really, because you knew precisely what to say to me. You knew exactly what would hurt me. It must be the truth for you to be so convincing, Illia."

Tears spilled out of Illia's eyes, unable to look at his anger. She should not be surprised by his words because she hurt him on purpose to push him away. His reaction was precisely what she strived for before Salazar's defeat. She wondered if the damage was done as she felt the lump in her throat grow from dread. "Your truth or mine, Oz? Your guilt or my regrets? I said the words, _your_ words to me. I used _your_ words against you with only one purpose in mind...to save you. It is not what I believe or how I feel about you at all." Illia hoped she was reaching him, to make him understand that she did not believe the words she told him. 

"I had to be convincing for you to leave and it...it worked. Hurting you was the last thing I wanted to do, but if it meant you lived, I would have done it over again. I _do_ love you. Yes, you have protected me, and you have been there for me at my lowest." She reached for him and delicately ran her hand along his growing hair, looking at him once more, pleading in her swollen eyes to forgive her.

"You...you didn't mean it?" he asked, tentatively.

"Not for one second, my love."

He suddenly reached for her and held her tightly, weeping once more into her neck. He wasn't sure how he was going to move on without her after all this. _Maybe it would be better to hate her for both of our sakes_. It was too late. He heard her, believed her. "I love you... I'm so very sorry I doubted you. Can you forgive me?"

"There is nothing to forgive. I was convincing...I had to be."

"How are you holding up after everything? You seem so strong. You have always been strong, but more than I have ever seen."

"I am not strong. I am tearing up inside, angry. Angry that Salazar is not dead and Meridia took him from me. You heard her, right?"

"Yes, I think we all did. I know you are not happy about not being the one to kill Salazar, but you did defeat him. Meridia said that he would have his mind, but not his will. That is imprisonment at its finest. Prison for eternity. I cannot think of a better justice," Oz explained, trying to reassure her.

"When you put it like that, I guess there is some poetic justice that he wanted immortality, and she gave it to him, just not in the way he strived for and expected. It is done then. Both of my parents are gone and out of my life forever."

Oz tenderly brushed away some singed hair out of her face. "Tell me, Illia, was there ever a point you wanted to stay with him?"

"Never," was all she said as he plunged his lips to hers. His anger finally gone and replaced with love once more, relief that she lived through it all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to Illia's healing, they all felt virtually brand new. Reaching their camp, they changed into replacement clothes, packed everything up and decided to stay in Falkreath for the night before heading to Jorrvaskr to check in and make sure the whelps were OK after fleeing the ruins. They wanted to get away from Sunderstone Gorge for a while. Since the Eye of Magnus was relatively stable for the moment, they wanted to spend a bit more time together before Charlie and Oz had to return home. 

They all smelled acrid from burnt clothes and decay from the ruins. All of them took their time soaking and resting in the washbasins provided by the Inn. Dead Man's Drink was not as exciting and upbeat as the other inns they had visited. The place was depressing and full of mourning with the massive cemetery, which did nothing for their mood as they all ate in silence. There was not a moment they spent in cheer and celebration as they were all exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically. The lovers held each other, sipped mead or wine, and thought quietly on their past and futures. The defeat of Salazar was not only a triumph but a signal of their inevitable loss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vilkas' normally animalistic urges gave way to tenderness and delicacy as he made love to Charlie. While soft and tender, he could not get close enough to her or deep enough in her. His hunger could almost not be satiated despite both exploding almost together in their desires. Holding her tightly, he could not figure out what was wrong with him. His stomach felt empty as if he had not just recently eaten. As Charlie twirled delicate fingers through his chest hair, he soon realized it was not his stomach but his heart. Despite deciding they would all spend a few more days together, his time with Charlie was almost at an end.

Unable to control the sudden flow of emotions, he rolled to his side, held Charlie tightly to him, and wept quietly at his inevitable loss. Vilkas knew what her answer would be, that he was putting her in an uncomfortable position, but he had to ask anyway. "Please do not leave me."

Charlie found her own tears swelling in her eyes as her lip quivered. She wanted to be with Vilkas too, but it was impossible. She loved his world, but she had her own with a job she loved and a good friend she worked alongside with. There would be nothing for her in Skyrim other than Vilkas, no purpose or anything to give her life meaning, still paying off her childhood regrets.

"I...I can't. I don't want to leave your side either, but there is nothing for me here other than you. I have a life in my world, a meaningful job. There are so many things I would miss in my world that yours would not be able to fulfill. It is for the same reasons you do not leave to come with me. You told me once you would never leave Skyrim."

"I knew what your answer would be. I will not push, but I had to ask. I just love you and do not wish to lose you."

"We both knew this would happen, Vilkas." She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince him or herself. "We at least several more days together before Oz, and I have to leave."

Vilkas just nodded and held her tightly, trying to understand and not weep anymore. Eventually, exhaustion and emotions wore them out as they fell asleep in each other's arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oz wasn't faring much better than Vilkas. Now that he recovered from Illia’s emotional blow to push him away, he wasn't ready to leave her. He knew they had several more days together, but that time would also appear to pass quickly. It was always the way it worked—the happiest moments fly the fastest through time. 

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you, Illia. We haven't even known each other that long...what has it been? Just over two months? I love you, and it's killing me that I won't get to keep you."

Lying in bed with him, she reached for his face and pressed her lips to his. "There is no need for sadness. I am coming with you if you will have me." After being forced to be with Salazar, she spent an extensive amount of time thinking about Oz. The ache she felt from her separation was too much to bear. She knew it would be a struggle in the new world to hide what she was and find some sort of purpose, but it was worth it to be with him. All of that would have been moot had they not been able to defeat Salazar.

"Wait...what are you talking about?" Oz wasn't sure he heard her correctly or if he dreamed it or was a wish to hear those words.

"I want to come with you," she spoke plainly and in a way that left no room to cause him doubt.

His stomach fluttered in excitement as his heart raced. He wanted nothing more than for Illia to come with him and be by his side. "Illia, are you sure about this? This is your home and moving to my world will not be easy. It may even bore you until we could find something for you to do. I don't think you would be happy just living in my apartment alone most of the time. No. No, I can't ask you to do that. It wouldn't be fair to you, and you would just end up resenting me being alone all the time with nothing to do."

"If you insist I stay, I guess I will have no choice, but I am certain I want to be with you. I am sure we will find something that I can do to keep me happy besides being with you. I am sure you can find a way to help me with that."

Oz tried to again to make sure this is what she wanted to do and had no doubts about it. "Love, you won't be able to do your magic, of course in private is one thing. It would have to be a secret for the rest of your life."

"After everything I went through with my mother and Salazar, I doubt I will miss it that much, both of whom forced me to be more powerful. There is nothing for me here. I do not have a home, a job, family or friends. Vilkas is my only friend, but he has his own family and friends. I would not be leaving him alone."

Oz held her tightly, trying not to weep, this time in happiness, and kissed her head. "I...I will love you to be with me if you are one hundred percent certain."

"I have never been more certain."

Years of struggling to find the right woman to be with and to find her across worlds was amazing, yet strange. For her to do this for him took a courage he could not even imagine. "You are the strongest woman I know to do this. To leave your world behind to be with me."

"I'm not leaving it for you. I'm leaving it for us."

Illia, knowing Oz would accept her, made her feel whole. As if this empty void had been filled. Filled with happiness and love, she never had the chance to have before. It was something more than just fleeting; it was something meaningful. She found herself no longer tired and filled with desire as she ran her hand down his abdomen and between his legs, feeling him harden at her touch.

Her face was close to his, lips almost touching, her desire and warmth spread through her body then centralized between her legs. "I love you, Oz."

"I love you, Illia."

They made love through the night until they could do no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Goodbyes are painful


	41. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a long way and painful road to the portal and eventually back home to Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: NSFW content
> 
> Alright, this is the last chapter before the Epilogue. I hope you have enjoyed my story as I have enjoyed writing it! Please let me know what you think. I hope everyone is still healthy!

_Skyrim - Falkreath - Fredas, 17th of Second Seed 4E 200_

It was time to say goodbye. The entire horseback ride back to Sunderstone Gorge was quiet. There were no banter, jokes, laughter, or discussions. It was not a happy occasion, especially for Vilkas and Charlie. 

She rode in front of him on the horse while he held her close. He could feel her pain, which exacerbated his own. Every once in awhile, he would nuzzle his face in her neck, trying to catch her scent. He did not want to forget. _Maybe it is best if I do forget._ It was taking everything he had not to weep for his eventual loss.

Charlie could feel him periodically draw her in closer to him, press his face in her neck, feeling his warm breath caressing. Her eyes watered, and lip quivered, but she held it all in. The entire ride to the portal was a long and painful one. It was like slowly peeling away a bandage stuck too long to flesh and suffering the pain rather than yanking it back quickly and getting it over with. 

She knew when she got back to her old life, it would never be the same without him. She would move on eventually, but she would never know anyone like Vilkas again. Already struggling to date and insecure enough not to have something meaningful, now it would be that much more complicated as she would always compare men to Vilkas. He was a man who was so expressive and didn't feel less of a man by being such. He was honest and forthright, not prone to insecurities or pretending to be someone he was not, except for his beast. She understood why he hid that from her. 

Eventually, Charlie just pushed thoughts of Vilkas out of her head and thought about the things she was returning to like roasted coffee, the busy streets of DC, her job that was stressful but loved, pizza, her favorite TV show. As she thought about it, her list was disappointingly short. Charlie didn't have much of a life outside of work. She thought about Vilkas' desire for her to be with him, but the whole idea of leaving her entire world behind, a world she has ever known, to one almost entirely unknown was scary as fuck to her. Not that her strong independence would keep her from chasing after men.

They all stood in front of the Eye of Magnus with great sorrow. Oz and Illia would be together, and while she chose to be with him, it did not mean she would not miss her world or Vilkas. He had been a good friend, and despite her original misgivings, he ended up healing from his own trauma and protecting her as promised. His Harbinger chose wisely. The pain in the pit of her stomach was heavy as she hugged Vilkas goodbye.

"Goodbye, my friend. I cannot tell you how much I will miss you. I cannot thank you enough for saving me. Not only did you save my life, but you saved me mentally, as well. You are a good friend."

Tears pooled in Vilkas' eyes. He, too, would miss Illia. "I will miss you, as well. You have taught me trust and helped me overcome my own pain. I could never thank you enough for that. I wish you great happiness in your new life."

Oz held out his hand to the teary-eyed man to shake, but Vilkas grabbed it and pulled Oz in for a bear hug. 

"Thank you for everything, Vilkas. You are a true warrior," Oz said, not knowing what else to say to the man.

"I know we struggled a bit to get along, but you are a good man and a great warrior yourself. Please take good care of Illia,...and Charlie."

"I will."

As soon as he faced Charlie, he wept when he saw the tears in her eyes. He lifted her into a tight embrace as a sob, uncontrolled and unwanted, burst out of him, but he stifled it quickly. Putting her down, he bent down, grabbed her face with two hands, and brushed his lips to hers, both wet and salty from the tears. 

"I...I can't do this. I love you," was all he could sputter out. He turned around and walked away, never to look back, trying to be the proverbial band-aid.

Charlie saw he was leaving, not ready for him to go yet, as she made a desperate grab for his hand, but he pulled it away without looking back. "No...not yet!" she yelled out, wanting to be with him longer but understood his desire not to face it anymore as she sobbed loudly in her hands. There were gentle touches on her shoulders and back as Illia and Oz tried to soothe her.

"I didn't get to tell him!" she sobbed out.

"Tell him what, Charlie?" Oz asked.

"That I loved him too." 

Oz pulled her into an embrace and let her weep into him. He knew if Illia stayed behind, he would have been an emotional wreck as well. He understood her pain.

Charlie pulled away and looked at Illia, wondering how she could leave her home so readily. "How do you do it, Illia? How can you leave so easily?"

"It is not easy at all. It is going to hurt me for a long time. Skyrim has been all I have ever known. Being away from Oz when I was with Salazar, reminded me how much I love him and that I will miss him too much, more than anything, even my home. There is nothing here for me, Charlie. While I will miss it and suffer homesickness, it was not a difficult decision for me."

"I am glad you will be there for Oz, but I am unsure I can be with you and Oz for a while. I need to recover from being away from him, and you both will be too much of a reminder. I hope you understand."

"We will understand," Illia told her and wrapped an arm around the distraught woman.

"Come on, Char...let's go home," Oz said.

All wiped away tears, held hands, and stepped through the portal for the last time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Falkreath - Fredas, 17th of Second Seed 4E 200_

"No...not yet!" Vilkas heard her yell out and sob, but he could not face her any longer. The pain was too much. He knew it would be painful, but no one was ever prepared for how much. It was almost impossible to bear. He rushed quickly out of the cave before he changed his mind, grabbed the horses, and rode fast and hard back to Jorrvaskr, pulling the other horse behind him. He would not stop until he reached home.

Focusing on the fast ride helped push out thoughts of Charlie. Vilkas knew all the memories he had of her would hit him full force once he got home, but for a moment, he was free of them. 

He arrived in Whiterun in record time, stabled the horses he rented and walked the rest of the way home to Jorrvaskr. The skies were as cloudy and dark as his mood, threats of rain a sign of his pain. As soon as he entered Jorrvaskr, he could smell her there. They spent three days together before sending her back home, and her scent still lingered. It was even stronger in his room when he opened the door and walked in. The smell hit him full force as he stood in the doorway and wept, unable to walk in.

Vilkas felt a heavy arm wrap around his shoulders and looked over to see his brother, Vilkas' pain reflected in Farkas' eyes. Farkas did not have to say anything. They understood each other without words, but Vilkas was not in the mood to be held and comforted. He wanted to be angry, not sad. He shrugged off his brother and went back upstairs to get something to eat.

A presence made itself known next to Vilkas while he was eating. Looking over, he could see his Harbinger. Ignoring the man, he went back to his task of eating, not hiding his foul mood.

"I see you have overcome one pain only to suffer another," Kodlak said, ever the all-knowing.

"What of it?" Vilkas responded angrily, stuffing his face with bread.

"I am more of the type to face the pain head-on to move on, but I think right now, what might be best for you is work." Kodlak slid a couple of scrolls to Vilkas on the table with a bag of coins. "Here are two jobs, paid upfront. I suggest you get a bit of rest and head out to do them. When you come back, perhaps her smell will be gone and you can start to move on. Then we can talk about a cure I have been researching."

That gave Vilkas pause in his anger and distress, but only for a moment. "A cure?"

"Aye, it is something I have been struggling with. But we can talk more about that later when you return."

"Fine."

But Vilkas did not get the rest he sorely needed. Rest would bring thoughts of Charlie. He needed distractions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Jorrvaskr - Fredas, 24th of Second Seed 4E 200_

Vilkas had been away for a week, alone, working on a couple of jobs for the Companions. It had been a good distraction, and he felt almost renewed. Nothing like fighting bandits to take away his pain for Charlie, at least for a while. Camping at night brought forth memories of her, especially the ones where he held her close at night and watched her sleep, brushing away stray hairs out of her sweet face. Or her crooked smile when she teased him, always teasing him, but he liked that.

Still missing her, but feeling a bit better, he walked into Jorrvaskr only to find the place still smelled like her. Her scent hit him like a ghost that traveled through his very soul, leaving him chilled. _By Ysmir, why does she linger!_ Tears pooled up once more, but he refused to let them shed, and he wiped his eyes.

He wanted to avoid his room, but he was exhausted, and it was very late, not having slept much while he was gone and with the long ride home. Stumbling into his dark bedroom and as expected, Charlie's scent was even stronger there. A place they had spent quite a bit of time making love before she left. Her smell lingered in his bed, on his blankets and pillows. 

He removed his armor and let it fall unceremoniously on the ground and sat down on the edge of the bed, not bothering to light candles because he was going to sleep anyway, he put his face in his hands and let the tears fall. He knew he was going to have to face the pain finally and that distractions would no longer work. He imagined this was what it felt like to lose someone close due to death.

"How can one sleep around here with all that racket?" he heard Charlie say with her usual flair for sarcasm. He shook his head, _no that is impossible. I am imagining things._ Then he felt tender arms surround his shoulder and pulled him back into bed.

"It took you long enough," she complained. "I have been waiting here for days."

Vilkas pulled her in tightly, face planted in her neck as he sobbed. He could feel her heart beating fiercely against him as her body shook too with crying. When he could finally speak, the words barely tumbled out. "How...when...how can this be? Why?" 

He had to see her right then as he stood to light a candle to know if this was real with his own eyes despite the truth being told by his body and nose and ears. She was wiping her eyes from the light and the wetness; her eyes were swollen from crying and sleepiness.

"I didn't get to tell you," she breathed shakily, lip quivering.

"Tell me what?"

"That I love you too. I had to tell you."

"You came all this way just to tell me that?" His voice was shaky and filled with surprise.

"Well, no, not just to tell you that. I have come to be with you if you will still have me."

His stomach fluttered, almost painfully, with hope, want, and need. He prayed to all the gods that it was real, and she was there to be with him, but all he could pathetically mutter out was 'why?'

"Well, I expected you to be surprised, but a 'why' might be a tad anti-climatic," she complained and teased at the same time.

Sitting back on the bed, he pulled her onto his lap and brushed light kisses on her face. "I am sorry, I am just at a loss for words from being so happy to see you. But I also worry that you came all this way to be unhappy. I have missed you terribly, but your happiness is more important than mine."

"While that is romantic and all, your happiness is just as important as mine."

"Regardless, Charlie, are you not going to miss your work and Oz and all the things of your world?"

"Of course, I will. I made this strange list in my head as I was leaving, looking forward to the things I missed and realized how small that list was. They were not things that I could not eventually get over, except perhaps for Oz. I have no one there. No family to speak of, no friends. I have Oz and Illia, but they have each other. They do not need me. I will also miss my job, but everything else are just things that could easily be replaced with better things."

"I thought you said you have to have a purpose."

"I do, and I will. I just have to make my own purpose, and I am sure you will help me with that, right?"

"Aye, I will. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me that you are here."

"I am happy to be with you too. I am not going to lie, though. I am scared as shit, but I am sure this is something I can get over with your help."

Vilkas could see the slight fear in her grey-blue eyes, but there was love as well.

"Will you tell me what happened and what changed your mind?" he asked.

"Believe it or not, I was back on Earth for a couple of long weeks. We went through the portal together and came out the other side together. I...I was pretty much inconsolable for a while and full of regret, mainly because I didn't tell you I loved you back. 

It actually did not take me long to change my mind. Illia seemed to do it so easily, though she admitted she would struggle to, but that Oz was worth it. I found myself taking stock of my life and realized how little I had. I just mainly focused on work or running, but not much else. I was just going through the motions of living."

Vilkas understood what that felt like as he too just worked and lived, his trauma keeping him from doing much else for so long, until he met Charlie.

"I explained to Illia and Oz that I wanted to return to you. I am an independent woman, and as much as I love you, I struggled with chasing after a man, though you are not just any man. She agreed to keep the portal open for a couple of more weeks since it was stable, but she could do no more. If I returned to you, I could not come back. So you're stuck with me," she laughed nervously.

"I am more than happy you are stuck to me."

"Anyway, the thing that made it all weird is I had to stage my death; otherwise, there would be questions, especially being a cop. Since I had so much trauma and had the therapy to back it up, I staged my suicide with the help of Oz and Illia. Maybe one day I will tell you all the details. Needless to say, I was dead, they had a fake funeral, and Oz took care of all the legal stuff. Earth has way too much-damned paperwork; I have to admit. Oz kindly exchanged all my savings into gold and valuables, so I could bring them here to exchange for goods.

After gathering everything I needed for the trip, I headed back to the portal. Once I went through, Illia closed it behind me, and the strangest thing happened. Several unknown men looked like monks or something. They all had magic like Illia. I watched them take away the Eye, Staff, and Scroll, not even acknowledging my presence. Then I walked to Falkreath, remembering the way, and rented a carriage to haul my stuff and come to you.

Imagine my disappointment when you weren't here. You must have left right after you got home because timewise, I wasn't far behind. I thought Farkas was you for a moment, but he quickly corrected me and told me I could stay at Jorrvaskr. They fed me and were very kind. Well, you know the rest of the story."

"I cannot tell you how happy this all makes me; no words can express, everything you went through to keep us together."

He looked into her eyes. The only thing he wanted at that moment was to be as close as possible to her. She straddled him on his lap as she brushed her lips to his, holding his face, then running fingers through tangled hair.

"You stink. Let's get you bathed."

"Can you suffer it? I want you right now."

"I know you do, and I want you too, but I think you can suffer a bit longer. Come, I will bathe you, so you will at least enjoy it a little," Charlie winked at him while she pulled him to the bathing area.

He was still wet and naked when they returned to his room, and she took a soft cloth to slowly and methodically dried his firm body. Vilkas watched her dry him as he hardened at her touch, and she was not even naked yet, but he quickly remedied that. When she was naked before him, he dropped to his knees and sent gentle kisses down her abdomen, hips, thighs, and his hands caressed her breasts.

The relief he felt having her again, touching her, was almost too much. He did not want to weep any more, but he could not control his eyes from moistening. He had to stop for a moment just to embrace her, resting his head against her stomach as she ran her fingers through his thick locks.

"Are you OK?" she whispered.

"Aye, I am very much 'OK.' I...I am still struggling with the fact you are actually here." 

Desire swept through him once more as he lifted her and gently laid her on his bed. All he could think about at that moment was to taste her as he trailed kisses down her body until he reached between her legs, wet and warm in anticipation, ready for him. 

Charlie closed her eyes as she felt his warm tongue trail her folds. She tangled her fingers in his wet hair as she gyrated into his mouth as if her body had a mind of its own. A gentle moan escaped her lips as he pressed his tongue at that spot and held her breath for a moment. A soft suck replaced tongue sent an electric current through her causing an arch of her back. The familiar warmth centralized between her legs as her body froze and cried out, covering her mouth with one hand to not wake the others while grasping his hair tightly with the other. Almost delirious in pleasure, she sagged on his bed, weak yet still running fingers lazily through his hair.

Vilkas felt hands pressed against the side of his head as Charlie pulled him up to her for a kiss. "Make love to me…" she moaned in his ear.

He did not have to be told twice. Entering her wetness slowly, he wanted to take his time and enjoy her, enjoy being inside her. Careful not to relax his dense body on her smaller one, he slowly slipped in and out of her, kissing her with each thrust. Her warmth and wetness were almost too much for him, wanting to press harder and deeper, but he controlled it to have her a bit longer. He knew they would be able to do this often, but this time was special, and he wanted to have her as long as he could.

Charlie had different plans, impatient for him to dig deeper as she slid a finger to her bud, wanting to orgasm once more while he was in her. She wanted him to feel her wrapped around him tightly, to drive him over the edge. As she quickly exploded, she was rewarded with his whimpering as she pulsed around him. He could contain himself no more as he moved more deliberately, all of their efforts culminating to him groaning loudly in her neck, eyes clenched, sending goosebumps down her arm. It was her turn to feel his own pulses within her. 

Vilkas eventually fell to his side and laid a gentle hand on her chest, feeling her rapid heartbeat slow down. He moved his hand to push away her sweaty bangs from her forehead so he could look her in the eyes filled with tears. He knew they were not tears of sadness, but tears of pleasure, happiness, relief.

"I love you, Char."

A stray tear fell down the side of her face as he wiped it away. She smiled at him and touched his face, as well. "I love you too, Vil."

"I will do anything to make you happy."

"I know you will. I will do everything I can to make you happy too. We are in this together."

"Aye, together."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next: Epilogue


	42. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to say goodbye to Illia, Oz, Vilkas, and Charlie :(
> 
> Let's find out what happens to them in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NSFW Content
> 
> Thank you all so much for the reading, commenting and kudos!! It has meant so much and I hope you enjoyed my story. If you are just starting to read, please drop me a line here and let me know what you think! I always make sure to response <3
> 
> Stay Healthy/Stay Safe!

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - July 24th, 2018_

" _I am happy to report to you all today that The Reaper case has come to a close. He is dead."_ Gasps among the crowd could be heard, but all were silent as Chief Jackson gave his press release about a case that shook Washington, D.C. to its core for several weeks. " _Our fine team of Homicide Detectives cornered him, and he left them no room but to kill him. We would have preferred to have taken him alive and give the grieving families justice, but he left us with no choice. But be pleased that he will never kill a daughter, a son, or a grandmother ever again."_

" _Chief Jackson! Chief Jackson_ ," yelled out a brunette reporter, hair perfect, every strand in its place. " _Can you tell us what happened to the bodies? How did he manage to turn them into mummies?"_

" _That is one thing we may never know. Our Medical Examiner, Dr. Michelle Sims, and her team have exhaustively searched for anything that could explain how he did it with no answers as of yet. If we find out, you will be the first to know. Just be happy that this will not happen ever again_ ," the Chief answered.

" _Chief Jackson!"_ a male reporter yelled out before anyone else had the chance. " _Who was The Reaper exactly? Do you have any information on him we can tell the people?"_

" _Unfortunately, we do not know that either. The killer left no records whatsoever. His fingerprints or DNA were not on file; there was no paperwork to be found as he seemed to have lived in one of the abandoned Embassies, which he burned to the ground to destroy all evidence. If we find out more about him, we will let the public know._

 _It is also with sad news, the second detective on the case, Detective Charlotte Adams, due to the stress of the case, committed suicide. She had a brilliant mind, and her determination is what aided us in closing this case. In the end, it proved too much for the Detective."_ Chief Jackson concluded his press release, trying to be as truthful as he could without giving away too much information. 

As the Chief was walking away, flashes of lights from cameras, yelling from reporters, insisting on more answers could be heard, but he ignored them.

"It's finally over then. There will be reporters who will dig deeper into this story, and I can't blame them. Still, they should not be able to find any information on Salazar, or you, Sweetheart," Oz said, turning off the TV and sat next to Illia on the couch, draping an arm around her shoulders.

"Yes, it is a relief it is all over, and please tell Chief Jackson I appreciate his discretion about me," she responded, putting her head on his shoulder. "Now I can move on and start a new life with you. I never would have thought this happiness could be mine. I originally started my life over after my mother in hunting down necromancers with a tiny hope in the back of my mind I could find love and maybe start a family one day. And here I am with you. I could not be happier."

"The happiness is mine, Illia. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Oz. How are you doing without Charlie?"

Charlie leaving was painful, and it was even more emotional because he had to help stage her suicide and plan her funeral. It felt too real, especially knowing he would never see her again. "It hurts. I miss her and probably always will. She was a good friend and partner. The main thing that keeps me going is knowing she is alive. I just hope she finally finds some happiness."

"She will. Vilkas will be good for her. They are good for each other."

"I don't know why, but after the Chief's speech, it gives me a sense of closure. It makes me feel like Salazar is completely out of our lives, and you are finally all mine," he said, turning to face her and cupped her face for a kiss.

"Mmmm, does it now? Do you plan to do anything with me now that I'm _all yours_?"

"I've got some ideas, but first, I have to go clean the kitchen, then there is all that laundry to be done…," he teased, pretending to get up to do just that.

"Oh, you are a cruel man," she laughed as she pulled him back down on the couch.

"I would never be cruel to you," he said in all seriousness. Standing back up, he took Illia's hand and led her to their bedroom, kissing her once more as he unbuttoned her blouse and let it slide off of her shoulders and arms, tumbling to the ground. Next was her camisole as she refused to wear bras, claiming they imprisoned her breasts and hurt. He was OK with that.

Once their clothes were removed, and instead of just jumping into bed, they found themselves staring at each other, touching and caressing her skin. Her fingers trailed lightly along Oz's dark skin and firm abs, the site of him making her warm between her legs.

Oz's fingers found their way between her legs; her wetness hardened him further. He watched her close her eyes; mouth parted open as he inserted a finger inside her while rubbing a thumb along her bud as her breathing sped up in anticipation.

"God, I want you…," he whispered in her throat.

"Then take me, Detective."

Oz did just that as he lifted her and placed her on the bed. Lying down with her, she maneuvered her body to be on top of him, effortlessly inserting him in her as she gently rolled her hips back and forth. He caressed her breasts, watching her dance on his body, her warmth embracing his hardness. He moaned when he watched her touch herself; he loved to watch her do that, unafraid to show what she wanted and desired.

It didn't take long before she built up, and he could feel her pulsing tightly around him, both of them moaning, him from the pressure and her from the pleasure. He quickly flipped her onto her back and reinserted himself as he pushed deeply into her. He could see her eyes glazed over, still riding the waves of pleasure as he finally released in her, groaning with each thrust.

He gently fell on top of her, feeling her hammering heart against his and breathing heavily into her neck. He planted tender kisses on her face and rolled onto the bed, pulling her in for an embrace. 

"Marry me," he whispered, touching her face with gentle fingertips.

"I will," she answered with her usual certainty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Earth - Washington, D.C. - December 18th, 2019_

It was a blustering and cold morning in the city. Unusually cold this early in the season. The wind gusted through the buildings, chilling Illia to the bone, but she loved the Winter. It reminded her of home, but not in a bad way. She tightened her scarf and pulled her coat in closely, head down against the wind as she walked to the Metro that would take her to the mall in Virginia. 

It was their second Christmas together coming up. Last year, Oz had told her all about the holiday, his favorite. The decorations throughout the city were magical for her, and she and Oz decorated a tree for the first time together. They spent Christmas day with his family opening presents and feasting afterward. Illia loved watching Oz's niece and nephew in their excitement, opening gifts. 

Last year, she didn't have money or anything to offer his family, but this year, thanks to Oz's help, she was making her own money so she could buy his family some gifts. She already had something special for Oz. Riding on the train, she rubbed her still flat tummy, hoping he would be happy. The doctor confirmed what she already knew to be true after taking her detect life spell to her stomach when she missed her period. Oz was so good with his niece and nephew, so she was sure he would be happy and a wonderful father with his own child. 

The baby was a surprise as they had not planned for a family despite being married for over a year. They were going to wait because Oz was working such long hours getting the business running to its full potential. He had left the police department before they married. He loved being a detective, but this was in part to give Illia a chance to have a purpose and to prevent boredom. 

There would be no way she could have a regular job. Too many questions would arise despite Oz going through the darker side of life trying to get Illia documentation—proof she was no one other than an American citizen. He had to contact several sources, informants, he had obtained over the years, to find a way to get her an illegal birth certificate, passport, and social security number. He had to take out a large loan to pay along with favors for them, but it was worth it to give her documentation to prove she was who she claimed to be. The only other person who knew about her was Chief Jackson, and he would never say anything, remaining friends with Oz. 

Regardless of her new documentation, he decided to open Dawson & Dawson, a private investigator business. It was something he was good at, and he knew with Illia's abilities, they could be successful at it. And successful they were, quickly recouping any loss of money from purchasing her paperwork to investing in the business. Everyone wanted the Detective who worked on The Reaper case to help them.

Illia smiled at her happy life, knowing it was going to get even better. Oz's family, now hers as well, would be thrilled. The day he brought her back to his family, as a couple, his sisters were ecstatic to see their little brother finally finding someone to make him happy. They were even more pleased it was Illia.

After her shopping, she headed back home to Oz. She entered their apartment and was welcomed home to delicious smells of dinner cooking and light jazz playing in the background. Wrapping her arms around Oz from behind while he was cooking, feeling his warmth and loving him so very much. Though she missed Skyrim, she never once regretted her decision to stay with him.

"Hey, Sweetheart," he greeted as he turned around to embrace her. "How was your day?"

"Good and even better with you," she answered as she reached up to kiss him. 

Illia figured now would be as good a time as any to tell him. "Oz, I got you a Christmas gift a bit early. It is not something I want to share on Christmas day with your family."

"Oh, is it a naughty gift?" Oz responded, smiling cheekily.

Illia giggled and blushed a little. "No, it is not a naughty gift." She embraced him tighter and placed her head on his chest, his warmth giving her comfort. "We are having a baby."

"Wait; what?! I thought we were careful." He cringed realizing that he sounded disappointed when he was not in the slightest. "I'm sorry that came out wrong. I can't tell you how excited this makes me. I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Really? Are you sure you are not disappointed? I know this will put a strain on us with the business and all, but this is something I have always wanted. I know it was a surprise, but I am so happy."

"Really, I am delighted to have a child with you. It is something I have always wanted too. Planning would have been better, but it does not make me any less happy."

"Thank you, Oz. I am so happy you are not disappointed. I love you so much."

"I love you too. I guess we need to get a house now. Can't fit a kid in this tiny apartment."

"I think we will be fine no matter what we do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Skyrim - Whiterun - Loredas, 16th Sun's Height, 4E 204_

It had been just over three years since Charlie showed up in Jorrvaskr for Vilkas. It had been quite the wild ride, to say the least, and she wondered if her sacrifice would have ended up killing her and Vilkas. Two years ago, the Dragonborn they met once, saved Nirn from the dragons rising. Charlie learned that some ancient and immortal dragon had come through time to destroy Nirn, but thanks to the Dragonborn, he defeated the great dragon. She realized then how close they all came to dying.

Then just after six months, Nirn was saved; the Civil War engulfed Skyrim. Things were tentatively quiet as the Dragonborn negotiated a delicate truce. Still, once the world was no longer under the threat of annihilation, the two warring factions decided it would be an excellent time to finish what Alduin couldn't. _Stupid people who don't realize the gift they had been given_ , she thought.

Whiterun was at the center of that war, fighting over control of the city. In the end, the Stormcloaks won, and Ulfric was the High King. Things had been peaceful, mainly because people were just tired of war and death. Being a part of the Companions, the Guild stayed out of the war. They did their best to care for the people of the burning town and defend them, not caring if they were being protected from the Stormcloaks or the Imperials.

During the chaos, Vilkas and Charlie did what they could to remain at each other's sides and be happy. He gave her purpose by making her an official member of the Companions where she fought by his side against the cruelty of the Skyrim; fought for people who could not fight for themselves. He trained her in all sorts of weaponry, but she was just too small for the larger sword that Vilkas preferred. She already had extensive training with the police department in self-defense, so she was able to handle herself. Charlie also brought her gun with her and enough rounds to last her a while, though she knew it wouldn't last forever.

When the war was over, she and Vilkas helped rebuild Whiterun as well as building themselves their own home outside of the city, tired of not having any privacy at Jorrvaskr. After they finally had time to breathe, Vilkas and Charlie married over a year ago.

Eventually, Kodlak finally found a way to cure the Companions from their beasts. It was long and drawn out, if not disgusting with the beheading of witches, but it made Vilkas and Kodlak happy to be finally free of their beasts. Farkas didn't care one way or the other, just choosing what his brother did, whereas Aela and Skjor decided to remain as they were.

Charlie liked this time of year as Skyrim warmed up a bit. It wasn't Summer like Washington was, but it was warm enough she didn't have to bundle up, using a large blanket scarf to keep her warm whenever she was outside. The moors were covered in wildflowers this time of year, which she loved to pick and bring into the house. 

She tried to make their house as comfortable as she could. She wasn't a decorator, but she wanted some reminders of home. There were a couple of framed photos of Oz and her and one of her graduating from the police department, which was a proud moment for her. 

She also wanted a chance to keep listening to her favorite music. He brought a solar charger for her phone as it held all her music. The music was the only thing that worked on it, as long as she could keep it charged. She and Vilkas would share her earbuds and listen to songs, him growing to like what she did.

Her daughters, now both thirteen, knew all about where Charlie came from. Vilkas and Charlie decided not to keep secrets from them. Lucia and Sofie were cooking dinner when Charlie came in from picking flowers. Filling up a vase with water, she put them in the center of their dining table.

"Pretty, Mama!" Lucia said. 

"Thanks, honey." Charlie kissed her girls on their cheeks as if she had been gone for weeks, even though it was only an hour. She loved them so much. Lucia was her first adoptive daughter. Her parents were gone, and she had no one. Her aunt and uncle kicked her to the curb to steal the farm from the child. It was disgusting. Charlie could feel her own abandonment in the girl and quickly took her in after talking things over with Vilkas. He, too, felt Lucia should live with them, and they had the space with their new home.

Three months later, while Vilkas was away in Windhelm, he came back with another orphaned girl who was freezing to death, trying to sell wilted flowers that would never make enough money actually to feed her. Her mother died when she was younger, and her father died in the war, so he brought her home to live with them and Lucia.

They were such good girls always working hard and giving back, happy to have a home and parents to love them.

"Mmmm, dinner smells good girls! How's Oscar?" Charlie asked.

Before the girls could answer, she could hear Oscar crying from upstairs in his cradle. Charlie wrapped her now long hair into a bun to keep it out of the way and gently picked up the crying infant, now two months old, and sat down on the bed to breastfeed him. She named him after her best friend and partner, Oz. She missed Oz so much and would still tear up with thoughts of him and their working adventure together, but she never regretted her decision to be with Vilkas.

She never once saw herself as some stay-at-home mom. It never interested her, but she also always believed she would be alone and never have children. Charlie adored her two girls and her new son, more than she thought she ever would. She was happy to stay with them. Eventually, she could do more things as the girls got older and could watch over Oscar. For now, she was home.

Charlie could hear Vilkas come in after training the whelps all day. She heard the girls squeal as he lifted them and spun them around in an embrace. Something he always did when he came home. "Where's your mother?"

"Feeding that hungry beast you all call a son, as usual," Sofie said, adopting her mother's love for sarcasm.

Vilkas laughed at Sofie's choice of words regarding her brother. That child did seem perpetually hungry. He ran upstairs to greet Charlie and his son. He kissed Charlie and laid on the bed next to her watching her feed their son. He still kissed Charlie the same as he had when they were still new, always with passion. Even with his beast gone, he still could be quite animalistic. 

Trailing delicate fingers along her back and along her bare shoulder sent goosebumps down her arms. Then Vilkas sat up close to Charlie watching their son eat as if he had not eaten in days; the gulping was loud as he swallowed milk as fast as he could drink it, sometimes gasping for breath.

"I am forever grateful you chose to be by my side. And now you give me this wonderful family. I love you so much, Char." He told her these things frequently, trying to remind her she was loved and never to regret what she did.

"I love you too, Vil. I am happy too."

"How happy? Like happy enough for a little fun tonight kind of happy?"

Charlie chuckled to not wake the suckling infant who had fallen asleep while eating. "I guess I can be that kind of happy tonight," she said with a sidelong glance at him. "Always the hungry one…"

"Only for you, love. Only for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again!
> 
> If you liked this story, I have two others going on.
> 
> One about a Dunmer girl who becomes the DB and gets entangled with Ulfric in more ways than one. She can also talk to her Dragon Soul and you can read about their own antics. 
> 
> [Ice and Fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22925674)
> 
> And the other is about adorable teddybear Farkas who saves a man from being killed by the Silver Hand and who has lost his memories. Their journey into finding out who he is and who they are together.
> 
> [The Wolf and The Whelp](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23456485)


End file.
